


When I Heard Your Voice

by Sukunami



Series: When I Heard Your Voice [1]
Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-04-15
Updated: 2003-12-15
Packaged: 2019-11-05 18:35:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 35,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17924141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sukunami/pseuds/Sukunami
Summary: Seifer begs for aid from an old friend, a merman he hasn't seen in years, never guessing the consequences of his request.





	1. Chapter 1

_A small form sat huddled on the edge of the pier, silent tears streaming down his pale face. Trapped in the thoughts of his mind and grief, he didn't notice or else didn't care about the darkened clouds approaching from the ocean. Waves gradually grew in height and strength as they flowed beneath the wooden planks he sat on. Absent mindedly he'd brush away tears from one side of his face, only to have them promptly replaced by new trails of wetness. Still the storm grew, thunder just barely sounding above the crash of the stirred ocean._

_Green eyes blurred by tears glanced up to witness the birth of an incredibly large wave, the boy hypnotized by its approach. The wave was one attack too many for the old pier, the child taken into the water now littered with scraps of wood. He knew how to swim, never living far from the ocean. He knew he could die unless he started working his way to the surface. But he couldn't find a reason to care, choosing to let the ocean decide his fate._

_Something gripped his hand, pulling him against a solid form that wasn't much warmer than the ocean. He felt himself being taken to the surface, fast enough to be saved. A small fist beat once against that form, the boy angry that it was interfering with this gift of fate. The form only held him tighter. The boy wanted to fight, but sleepiness was taking control of his senses..._

_Eyelids heavy while opening, the boy soon found himself on hard ground, the roof of a cavern curving overhead. He rubbed a hand against his forehead, not caring for the pounding of his head. A second hand, much cooler to the touch, joined his hand to brush along the aching region. With its pass, the hurt faded almost immediately. Tilting his head to the side, the boy looked into eyes that seemed full of the storm that had just nearly taken his life, a stream of bright redness flowing down from a gash at his forehead._

_"Don't be sad..."_

_The words said in a youthful voice filled with sympathy made the boy smile weakly before the tears began anew, but for once, the pain of his heart was allowed to escape within those mournful tears._

* * *

 

A large bundle held securely in his arms, Seifer fought against his desire to hurry and the need to be careful along the beach sand. Biting his lip in uncertainty, he scanned the water of dark blue and brown in search of a sign that he was being watched. The sun had set shortly before, but there was still plenty of light for the moment. Even so, he could only see rocks fallen from the nearby cliff long ago and the immense expanse of water.

Heedless of his clothes, Seifer walked straight into the salty water and waded towards a relatively flat rock in the fair distance. The dark water barely touched the blankets in his hold before he was able set the bundle carefully on the smooth boulder. Green eyes squinted, he continued to glance over the mild waves of the ocean.

"Squall!" The call wasn't as strong as usual, his voice cracking with worry. "Show yourself, _Squall!_ "

No one answered the desperate call, Seifer only able to hear the sounds of the ocean and then a whimpering cry from the wrapping of blankets. Leaning over, he pulled aside a corner of the soft material to reveal a young boy flushed with fever. Closed eyes opened at the movement of the blanket, those hazel eyes filled with pain as he stared up at the large man.

"Shhh, everything will be fine, Dray." Seifer brushed aside pale locks of hair before kissing the heated forehead.

"I's cold, Papa..."

"I know you're cold. Just bear with it a little longer." Seifer looked up then, his breaths coming faster when he still saw no sign of his friend and confidant. The blond then scoffed at his thoughts and mumbled to himself, "As if I've been anything close to a friend for years. It's no wonder he isn't around..."

"...Papa...?"

Eyes focused on the ocean before him, Seifer distractedly cupped his hand along the side of the boy's face to comfort his son, a callused thumb stroking the soft skin reddened from fever.

"So, this is young Adryan."

The quiet voice made Seifer start, a single tear escaping the walls he placed on his emotions as he turned to face the newcomer. "Squall. Thank the Heavens."

A seemingly young man of blue-gray eyes stared at him neutrally from his position leaning against the boulder's edge. Brown hair blackened from water was plastered to his head except for a few rebelling locks, suggesting the wildness of hair if given time to dry. The only visible item he wore was a silver choker, the sight making Seifer smile weakly. Beyond the visible chest and torso bare of clothes, the blond knew of the dark blue scales that lined the merman's tail, which was currently hidden beneath the water surface.

"He is ill."

Shame flowed through Seifer at the words. "I... I meant to... I'm sorry--" A finger pressed against his lips to silence him.

"You wish me to heal him." To anyone else, the voice would be cool and soothing, but the large man clearly heard the sadness behind the words.

"A lot of kids have gotten this sickness and died from it. The doctor can't do anything, so I thought maybe you could help..." Silently Seifer cursed his idiocy, furious that he'd only search out Squall because his son was in danger. Adding on to that, he owed the merman many times over for his life, and then for companionship during hard times. There was no reason for Squall to help him now after all these years, and certainly not after the way his friendship was tossed aside without thought.

Despite all of that, Squall smiled vaguely as his elegant fingers caressed the boy's face, wide hazel eyes watching him curiously. "Fear not, small _solas_. It's not your time to die."

With that, the merman bit into the flesh of his own finger, bright red blood pooling at the broken skin. He placed it into the mouth of the child, Adryan wasting only a moment before sucking at the offered blood. Squall ran slim fingers through strands of pale blond with his free hand, his expression striking Seifer of a gentle mother that could soothe away any worry, an odd but welcomed sight.

In short time, the merman removed his finger and then kissed the head of the resting child. Moving back, he spared Seifer a single glance before slipping quietly back into the ocean water.

"Wha-- Wait! I haven't done anything to repay you."

Treading backwards just above the surface, Squall smiled faintly. "Goodbye, Seifer." And before the blond man could respond, the merman had vanished into the dark waters.

Seifer stared stunned at that point of disappearance, his voice tight when he was able to speak. "You never say 'goodbye'..."

~ > < ~

It was a calm morning with seagulls flying lazily high above the ocean water. Aside from the bird cries and crashing waves further away, it was quiet as Seifer sat on the back porch of his small, but comfortable home. His head was propped up on one arm as he looked past the low rise of a grassy hill and towards the beach a short distance beyond. A mug of coffee was on the table before him, the liquid long cooled during the time the blond had been there in a memory filled daze.

Over fifteen years past, the quiet creature of the ocean had rescued him from death. Back then, Seifer had been too wrapped up in the grief of his parents' deaths to understand the great favor. After that was the pain of living in an orphanage where the other children didn't care for him, that leading to his bully-like nature. Only Squall was patient enough to deal with his bursts of anger, though the young merman was equally infuriating at times when Seifer wanted a reaction out of him. It was a rare occasion when the typically silent creature would lash out with his own hidden anger and frustrations. The cold blaze Seifer witnessed in those eyes only made him desire it more.

From there... life went on like it does. Seifer had enrolled in a private militia to train and fight for several years, there meeting the first woman he could seriously love - Fujin, a hell angel of white hair who could throw a man four times her rather small size. Despite her occasionally stilted way of speaking, she was a good friend as much as an amazing lover. When she had gotten pregnant, they both dropped out of the mercenary group and Seifer brought her here to the only home he could remember at the orphanage. Unfortunately the building had been destroyed during a recent battle, and the Kramers had moved on to a larger building that could better house the influx of children. With their permission, this house was built where the original orphanage had stood, and here Adryan had been born almost four years past.

"Papa?"

Seifer smiled softly at his son, then tried to press down the thin, bed-messed blond hair with his hand while noting the lack of fever. "Good morning. How are you feeling?"

"All better!"

"Are you hungry?"

"Uhn!"

The large man stood up, towering over the small figure that still wore his chocobo pajamas. "Then how about you go get dressed and I'll make you some pancakes."

"O-tay." The boy ran off for his room, taking the longest route possible that also required jumping off the couch.

With an amused sigh, Seifer made way for the kitchen. He pulled out the cookware and ingredients, thoughts once again wandering as his hands handled the familiar task of making breakfast. Against what she had believed or perhaps hoped, Fujin was not made for the family life. After the birth of Adryan, she assumed motherly instincts would take over and she'd suddenly know how to take care of child, cook delicious meals, and clean without breaking a thing. Seifer knew she wasn't happy living here, but she wouldn't admit it, thus nothing could be done to better the situation. When he woke one morning to the sounds of Adryan's crying and found only a piece of paper where Fujin had slept by his side, Seifer wasn't surprised.

"Papa..." came a soft, worried tone.

Blinking, Seifer looked down at the boy. "What's up, big guy?"

"Why're you sad?"

_< Don't be sad...>_

The man shook his head to get rid of the phantom voice of the past. "Just thinking. Got a stack of three here. Think you can handle that?" He handed the plate of pancakes to his son.

"Uhn." The boy obviously didn't believe his simple answer, Adryan being more sensitive to emotions than Seifer thought normal. It made lying near impossible, that was for certain.

Sitting down at the small table with his own plate of pancakes, Seifer picked at his breakfast while barely tasting anything aside from the sweetness of syrup. His son, however, wasn't so nearly reserved in eating the fluffy food. With a week of nothing more than broth behind him, Adryan's hunger wasn't surprising in the least. Seifer grinned at the sight of maple syrup spreading across the child's mouth, and he wondered how much longer it'd take before the stickiness would end up in his hair.

"Can we see that pretty guy again?"

The question entirely unexpected, Seifer sat back in his chair wordlessly and stared at the boy.

"Did I say something wrong, Papa?"

"No. No, it's not you, Dray. Truthfully, I don't know..." Closing his eyes briefly, he smiled and said instead, "Say, why don't we head to the beach after breakfast and I'll introduce you to him if he's still hanging around."

"Yeah! I wanna thank him."

"Then finish every bite, as well as all of your milk. I don't need people thinking that I starve you."

Grinning at the typical comment, Adryan attacked the remaining half of his breakfast with the same vigor as before. Watching him, Seifer fought against conflicting emotions about the small trip. He didn't want to go to the beach so soon, afraid that the merman wouldn't respond to his call for the first time in his memory. And yet, Seifer needed to go to see for himself if the merman would indeed ignore him, never to be seen again. There was the good possibility that he was overreacting. Squall had only said 'goodbye', and it wasn't like people didn't say that on a daily basis. People always say goodbye...

Some time later, both the plates and the boy were cleaned of syrup before father and son headed out of the house. Seifer kept to a worn path as he walked, the young boy not constraining himself to the simple line as he weaved back and forth while looking up at the birds in the sky. Crossing the small rise of the hill, they reached the trail that led down a sharp incline of the beginnings of a cliff. The short path ended in soft beach sand that made walking difficult, but the barefooted boy didn't seem to mind the extra effort it took to run on the sand.

Sighing amused, Seifer shoved his hands into the pockets of his oversized shorts and took his time approaching the shifting waters. Despite the chill of worry deep in his bones, the sun served well to warm his skin that was exposed from the open vest. Watching the energetic boy also helped to ease his spirit. Adryan was typically a shy boy, rarely caring for situations where he had to meet someone new. Seifer found a bit of happiness at the idea of sharing his greatest secret with his son.

The blond boy started waving from the water's edge, and automatically Seifer waved back with a soft smile on his face. When Adyran's waves became more frantic, the large man realized that the boy wasn't waving to him, but for him. Frowning, he jogged towards the young boy, and then looked in the direction that he pointed to. On the large, flat boulder from the night previous, a naked body was draped over the smooth surface and didn't look to be moving.

Once reaching firmer sand, Seifer broke out into a run and rushed into cool water without second thought. The shifting pull of the tide impeded his movement, but he made quick time to the rock that occasionally dropped under water from the larger waves that came. Standing there, Seifer was stunned into place despite understanding the immediate need to pull the man out of the rising water. The stunning pale skin was bruised heavily, and the exposed body also held numerous minor to deep scratches and cuts all over. With a shaky hand, Seifer brushed aside longish strands of wet hair to reveal the gorgeous face he knew well, but never with these injuries that marred the inhuman beauty. After glancing at the slim, elegant legs that hung into the salty water, Seifer quickly pushed back the flood of questions that would only serve to distract him longer.

He took the sodden merman into his arms, the relatively light weight easy enough for Seifer to carry despite the tide of the ocean working against him. As he walked, the large man held the brunet tightly against his chest in the vague hope to warm the freezing body. He remembered the sea creature being cool whenever they touched, but he was certain the careful caresses had never been this cold.

Stepping out of the salty water, Seifer looked down at his wide-eyed son. "Go ahead of me and draw up a hot bath in my room. Then gather up some rags to use as bandaging."

Blinking out of his stunned gaze, Adryan nodded without word and turned to run ahead of his father.

Taking awkward steps on the shifting sand, the blond whispered quietly, "What the hell is this about, Squall?"

* * *

 

It was warm. Far warmer than anything Squall had experienced before, pressing around his body in sanctuary. But the pressure wasn't all-encompassing as he was used to, rather focused at his back and chest. Little by little, clarity came to the sleep-muddled mind as senses started to identify other oddities about his surroundings. There was an unusual softness that covered his skin left untouched by the warm pressure. The heat wasn't stationary, moving with a steady rhythm that almost mimicked his heartbeats. And his breathes were full of thin dryness, as if he were above surface.

With that last thought, gray-blue eyes snapped open to view wildly at the scenery around him. Air, not the comforting enclosure of water. The objects, though few, were completely unknown to him. This could very well be a prison for all he knew. Trying to move, he gasped and nearly cried at the feel of splitting, legs and not his tail moving at his silent commands. It was wrong, so very _wrong_.

"Nnh, shhh... you'll wake 'im up..." murmured a sleepy voice as the warmth, apparently a pair of strong arms, held tighter.

A look of pain crossed his face before Squall spoke softly. "Seifer?"

The body behind him stilled for a moment before it pulled away, a hand soon forcing Squall onto his back as the large man sat up to lean over him. Green eyes lit by faded light focused worriedly on him. "How do you feel?"

There was no answer for that. His life was in ruins, everything he knew lost and untouchable. Waking to see Seifer was a minor comfort, but easily wiped away by the ache the blond man always caused in him.

"Playing mute on me, is it? Well, at least you're awake. I only noticed the broken wrist, but you'll have to tell me if anything else hurts."

Eyes narrowing in thought, Squall lifted his arm from the tangle of sheets and stared at the tight bandaging, wincing slightly when moving the hand. Aside few minor scratches, he had never been left unhealed before. Just another mark of his people's disgust for him.

"Squall. What happened?"

He redirected his cool gaze to the intense stare and hesitated before answering. "I've been exiled."

"What? Why?"

"None of your concern."

Green eyes hardened. "Was it because of what you did for me? For Dray?"

"... ..."

"Answer me, Squall." The growled tone would have threatened anyone else, but the merman could find comfort in the deep voice.

"It was my choice."

There was a brief flare of anger in the emerald orbs, just before Seifer yanked the blankets off of himself and moved from the bed. "Fucking Hyne, why didn't you tell me that you could get in trouble? I never--"

"Your son would be dead." The simple statement immediately quieted the blond man, driving the heated energy out of him.

"You could've died as well," Seifer says with a partly questioning tone.

"I didn't." Though a part of Squall wished he had. Things would be so much simpler that way.

"Don't give me that. I had to carry your frozen body out of the waters and watch you lie helpless here for the past two days. You damn near died in front of my very eyes, and now I know for a fact that it's my fault this even happened--"

"It was my choice!" Squall bit out, eyes coolly glaring at the man. "Don't you dare assume otherwise."

The large man easily met the dangerous gaze, a cynical chuckle escaping him. "Stubborn bitch. Fine, you win. But only for this moment." As he stretched, the worn tank top he wore lifted to reveal the muscular stomach just above dark gray shorts. "Well, I know I'm hungry, so you must be absolutely starved. Doubt you've had much of our food, but I seem to remember you liking the strawberries I gave you years back. How does that sound?"

It took a moment before the merman realized he was talking about the dark red fruit from nearly a decade ago. Even so, the odd sweetness was implanted into his memory. He nodded at the offer, trying not to look too eager about the food.

"Great. I'll try to make a selection of stuff so you can pick and choose what you like." He moved for the closed doorway, Squall interrupting him before he could too far.

"Wait. I... I need to relieve myself," he stated softly, angry about being forced through such embarrassment.

After a thinking moment, Seifer smirked and approached the far side of the bed. "Shall I be of assistance then?"

The sheets were pulled down, Squall looking sharply away at the sight of his legs. It was the primary evidence of his exile, and the lack of the deep blue scales praised by many severely pained him.

"Sorry, I didn't think about trying to put clothes on you."

The merman looked curiously up at the man. "Clothes? Like yours?"

"Ah, of course nudity wouldn't bother you. Come on. Let's see if those lovely legs work."

After hooking an arm around his neck, Seifer carefully helped the brunet out of bed, feet for the first time settling on floor. While it felt like the newly formed legs could support him, it was still awkward to match the same movements when the larger man walked. For first steps, however, Squall tried to be impressed with himself. They moved through the original doorway Seifer had approached before, then went to another one a short distance away. Staring into the smaller area, gray-blue eyes widen at the assortment of objects in the room.

"So, think I can leave you here while you finish your business?"

"How do I do this?"

Green eyes settled on him amusedly. "You mean the toilet?"

The smooth brow creased at the term, though he didn't focus too hard on it. "I've had a tail for all my life and lived in water. I have a feeling you do these things differently."

Blinking, Seifer then looked ahead into the room while muttering to himself, "At least I have experience with potty training."

Not too much later, Squall clothed in a large shirt and shorts sat at a table with his hurting head held in his hands. There was simply too much to learn and know, and that had only been the room of the bath. It didn't help that Seifer seemed flustered with answering some of his questions. Really, why did there need to be two places on a body to relieve oneself?

His frustrated silence was broken when something was placed before him, the smell of it making his stomach clench in hunger.

Pointing to each food in turn, Seifer said, "These are the strawberries you liked before with some blueberries. This is a pancake, and these are cooked eggs. Don't eat what you don't like. I think you recognize water well enough, and the one next to it is orange juice."

The merman stare confusingly at the cylinders of liquid.

"You aren't surrounded by water anymore. You have to drink it to stay hydrated."

Frowning at the thought of having something else important to learn within such a short time, Squall took one of the dark red strawberries and ate it carefully to make certain he had remembered correctly about liking the fruit. Aside from memories of interesting tastes, there were also times in which the foods Seifer had given left him sick for days. At the taste of sweet bitterness, a vague smile appeared at the knowledge that there was at least one safe food he could eat. While nibbling at the fruit, he glanced up at the blond man staring oddly at him.

"You're handling this rather well."

Looking back down at the foods, he said, "There's no benefit in getting upset."

Seifer scoffed before walking off to get his own meal. "If my legs were wrapped up into a tail and I was tossed into the ocean to fend for myself, I'd be... hell, I haven't a clue how I'd handle it. Certainly not with as much composure as you, but I guess you've always been like that."

When the large man sat heavily in an adjacent chair, Squall stared at him silently before stating, "I would die if you weren't willing to care for me."

Sharp green eyes met his, understanding quick to appear. "Exile is your death sentence."

Nodding, the brunet then looked outside. It wasn't by chance that he had ended up on that beach, Squall knowing his father or friends must have led him to where the blond could easily find him. While he was grateful, he sincerely hoped that they hadn't risk their own lives by interfering as they did.

"Papa?" Both men looked over at the entrance of the young boy, his hazel eyes still blurry from sleep. "Is he all better?"

"Well, Squall is awake at least, though I don't think he'll be better for a long time yet." Getting up from his chair, Seifer asked, "Want do you want, kiddo? Pancakes or cereal?"

"Cereal wit berries."

As the large man went back to get the food, the young boy approached Squall and stared at him for a long moment before attempting to crawl up onto his lap. Confused and stunned at first, the brunet then helped Adryan up, smiling softly at how much the child looked like Seifer at that age. His body frame was a bit narrower and his hair several shades lighter, but they were clearly father and son.

Once seated comfortably enough, the boy continued to stare at the merman before asking, "What's a 'solas'?"

"It's our term for you who walk under the sun." Squall was somewhat surprised the young boy had remembered him using that term before healing him. The youth had extremely ill by the time Seifer had thought of asking for his help, even if the boy hadn't seemed so bad from outward appearances.

"Oh." Sleepily, Adryan placed his head on the brunet's shoulder as he relaxed against the cool body. "You're pretty."

"Thank you, young _solas_." It was different than holding their own youths, the weight of the small body better felt without the buoyancy of water. Squall decided that he preferred this heavier feel, it creating a sense of even more trust that the young typically give away too easily.

"The hell... Dray, get off of him." After placing down the cereal, Seifer lifted the boy from his current seating spot and moved him to a chair across the table. "Sorry about that, Squall. He's usually much better, never doing crap like that."

"I don't mind."

"Well, I do." He looked at the boy with soft eyes belying the terse tone of his voice. "Listen, kiddo. Squall here is going to be staying with us for as long as he needs to. That okay with you?"

Adryan nodded, his mouth already full of food.

"Good. He also doesn't know a lot about how we do things, so you're going to have to be my little helper in teaching him everything. Got it?"

"Like what stuff?"

"Everything," said two voices at once, one sounding amused and the other annoyed.

~ > < ~

Squall sat at the edge of the pier rebuilt years past, sitting in the same spot he had seen Seifer when they were much younger. Day after day the blond boy had come to that pier, sorrow continually building in him without release. When the old wooden pier tore apart, it was a chance impulse that made Squall reach for the boy who didn't seem to care if he lived or died. The split wood had cut them both in the torrents of the stormy water, certainly not helping with his task of pulling the struggling boy up to the surface. In a nearby cavern that served as shelter, Squall had decided to take the last step into crime and healed the gash on the blond boy's head, using the blood from his own wounds. After all these years, it felt nice to have the odd connection of the mirrored scars crossing from forehead and almost to cheek, though his father and people were furious that his face had been marred.

Swirling the tip of a foot in the water that felt so much colder than he ever knew, Squall thought about the wasted years of his life. Aside from lessons of caring for the treasured youth of his people, most of his time was spent observing the young _solas_ , watching how he grew so large and strong compared to the limp form that he had held in rough waters. It was the only time he had held the golden boy eventually turned man. It hurt to continue watching the changes in the man's life long after the merman had been apparently forgotten. He had been only a dark form in the water, never approaching as he watched Seifer hold onto the white-haired woman, laughing with her and looking so happy. Then came Adryan, the obvious pride of the large man and the one thing Squall refused to be jealous about.

There had been one morning, though, when Seifer had sat in his spot on the pier and held something in his hand, just staring at it. The sorrow was back, and given the white-haired woman had never appeared again, Squall assumed it was in connection with her. There was temptation to swim up to the blond then, to attempt to find a way back into his life, but he was never called for and thus never approached. For the better, perhaps, as he was already treading fine lines with his obsession of the _solas_. Only his status had kept him from exile up to that point.

"That's where Papa always sits."

Looking to the side, Squall smiled softly at the boy. "I know."

Hazel eyes studied him intently before the boy sat close by. "I can't read you."

"Because you shouldn't read others' emotions."

Eyes widened, guilt filling the boy's aura. "I don't mean to. It's just... it's always there for me."

"No need to defend yourself. You're young and inexperienced. Doesn't help that your gift is rare among your kind."

"But you can do it, too, then?"

Squall nodded once in reply.

"Umm, then... could you show me stuff?"

"If you wish."

Adryan nodded, then after a time of silence asked, "Are you happy here? With Papa and me?"

Fingering the wide bar of his choker, he stated softly, "As much as I deserve to be." He got an odd look from the boy for the response, but Squall didn't give him a chance to question it. "Your father must be waiting for us."

With help of the boy and the pole of the pier, Squall got to his feet that easily supported him, but it was still awkward at times, especially after spending time near the water that had been his life. It had been only a couple weeks since the torturous transformation of his exile, but muscle was muscle, and once he had figured out the proper way to step, it wasn't that difficult. Anything faster than a careful walk, however, would be pushing it.

By the time they had crossed half the beach, Seifer was half-walking, half-sliding down the steep incline of the small hill. Even from the short distance, Squall could see the scolding hardness to his eyes. The sight brought a vague curl to a corner of his lips.

"What the fucking hell-- shit, Dray, get to the house. Dinner is in the micro."

The boy was obviously trying to hold in his laughter when he left, once in the past weeks mentioning that only the merman ever caused the large man to swear without thought.

Adryan out of sight, the blond man began again, "I _thought_ you were going to your room."

"... ..."

"Shit, you just started walking by yourself several days ago. What did you think you were doing by taking that hill?" After first glancing down at dirty and slightly torn pants, Seifer knelt to the soft sand and jerked down the sweatpants. "Hyne, Squall. You're really going to be hurting tomorrow from this stunt."

"Don't..." He moved back from the hand that was about to touch the area that would most likely be a large bruise in the morning. Given the piece of clothing wrapped around his knees, Squall didn't get far and fell to the beach ground, wincing at landing on the injured area of his thigh.

"What is your problem lately?" The voice was irritated and angry, Seifer having every right to feel that way. Ever since being able to walk on his own, the merman tried to avoid the touch of the larger man. It was hard to not be obvious about it.

Covering his eyes with an arm, Squall spoke quietly. "I'm tired. Just leave me alone."

There was a frustrated sigh before the man sat down heavily where he was. "Listen, if you're mad at me for this situation, would you just fucking tell me? I hate it when people keep that kind of shit from me."

"You're cursing too much."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "Please. Talk to me. Tell me what I can do to make things better between us."

"It's not--"

"This _is_ my fault, you stubborn ass. I left you. After all my bitching about parents and family leaving me alone, about friends not caring if I drowned myself, I left you as if you didn't mean anything to me. Then you do this for me without hesitation... Tell me, what do you need? What can I do to make things right again?"

"... Nothing."

"For the sake of Hyne... You're just like her, y'know? Acting like nothing needs to be fixed, that you can handle whatever it is eating you up inside. Well, it doesn't work that way. And damn it, you were the one to show me that. What, can't handle your own bitter medicine?"

Letting his arm fall to the beach sand, Squall stared up at the faded blue sky of early evening. "I'd rather this pain than lose you a second time."

Seifer stared at him intensely for several moments before standing. "You know, I'm getting tired, too. Maybe it's been a bunch of years, but I know you. You're getting close to a breaking point, and maybe it'd be better for you if I just shove you over that edge. However, right now Dray is waiting and I don't need him seeing some yelling match between us since, Heavens know why, the kid likes you." Holding out a hand, the blond man smirked cynically. "We can go on pretending everything is all roses, but tomorrow we battle this out."

A small shiver traveled through Squall, not having heard the challenging tone of the larger man in years. There was always some bet, some contest between them that made the blond's aura flare with heated energy, never failing to cause an echoing flame to rise in the merman as a result.

"Come on. We need to get ointment on that leg and then feed you. I don't get how you survive on as little as you do."

* * *

 

Wearing the typical baggy shorts, Seifer stood in cool sand with hands shoved in his pockets as he watched the lone figure on the pier ahead. Once again, the brunet had left when his back was turned. While he could understand the other's desire to be near the ocean, Seifer wished the idiot would simply ask for help. It wasn't like he had been denied anything yet.

With a deep sigh, the large man started walking again to the pier, bare feet soon treading on the wooden planks with little sound. Squall stiffened at the man's approach, but otherwise didn't move or address the person as he stared down at the shallow waves brushing against his hanging foot. Without warning, Seifer placed a hand against the back of the bent neck, callused fingers moving gently across unfamiliar black lettering almost hidden beneath longish hair and just above the ever-present choker.

"What does this mean?"

"It's a symbol of my... former status."

Frowning, Seifer continued to stroke the pale skin marked by dark symbols as soft hair brushed over the back of his fingers and his thumb rested on cool metal of the necklace. "Are you ready to talk with me?"

Before a reply was made, there was a thrashing of water that made the blond man jerk back in surprise. Gray-blue eyes a bit wider than usual, Squall stared at the appearance of a rather talkative dolphin in Seifer's opinion. He had to hold a hand to his mouth when the merman nodded to whatever the squeaks and clicks could have meant, the sight too comical for him after adjusting to weeks of the brunet being technically human. Furthermore, no one so serious looking should ever converse with an overgrown, smiling fish.

Slowly horror crept into the man's expression as he snapped his head up to look out at the expanse of sea. The dolphin squeaked loudly at losing the merman's attention, but was apparently calmed when the other distractedly did a set of hand signals. With a final string of clicks and a wobbly move backwards, the dolphin dived back into the water and out of sight.

"Squall...?"

He looked back at his name, gray eyes wide in a haunted expression, all amusement within the blond man dying at the sight.

"What's wrong?"

"My bearer..." Sighing, he used the pole of the pier to help himself stand. "Could you leave?"

"I could, but I'm not going to. What's wrong with your 'bearer'? Don't tell me--"

"No!" Squall declared sharply, then took a calming breath. "He is only weak in spirit. A friend suggested that... that maybe if he heard my voice..."

"I thought you weren't allowed contact with your kind anymore."

"Not direct contact... Again, would you leave?" When no reply can from the stubborn blond, Squall sighed. "Fine. But don't interrupt."

His arms crossed and an amused smirk forming, Seifer watched the brunet with the expectation that the merman would just start talking randomly without a viewable audience, or something of that like. The soft melodic tone that left the pale lips was entirely unexpected. Though quiet, the song had an odd quality to it that made it almost loud, driving every other sound of the ocean to barely heard murmurs. The language was unknown to Seifer, but every few lines or so, he could clearly hear the word 'solas' that he recognized as their term for humans. Despite not knowing the words, despite not having done so in quantity since he was a youth, Seifer found himself crying as the song continued. Frustrated, he roughly rubbed away the tears he couldn't control while forcing himself to stand in place and not interrupt the sorrowful song from the merman.

Eventually the song tapered off, Squall reopening his eyes as he scanned the empty ocean. Witnessing the same shielded expression that had been in place since the first day he woke, Seifer felt like yelling at the man to let his pain go, to stop holding it so tightly within him. Instead, his body reacted first as he reached out and pulled the smaller form back against him in a firm hug.

"Seifer. Let go."

"No."

Weakly struggling for escape, the merman tried to move forward out of the hold. "Don't. Please."

"Maybe I'll let you go, but only if you tell me what the song was about."

"... ..."

"I heard you mention humans. Was it some story of your people?"

"Let go," he repeated softly.

"No, it wasn't that, was it? You... you were talking about here?" At the sudden tensing of the man in his arms, Seifer knew he guessed right. "Why? Does it pain you that much to stay with me?"

" **It's hell!** " Squall yelled out, the burst of energy freeing him from the entrapping arms. Unbalanced, however, he continued forward to fall off the pier edge and into salty water.

Still stunned by the declaration of the merman, Seifer only stared at the shifting water before eventually realizing that even a person who couldn't swim should be thrashing about or reaching for the pier for safety by now. Jumping off the side, he swam down the relatively shallow depth to find the man lying on the ocean floor as if asleep. Taking a hold of the slim body, Seifer pushed up against the soft ground to give him the boost towards the surface.

In short time, the large man stumbled out of the surf with his precious load and gently stretched out the merman on compacted sand. With a few hardy slaps against his back, the brunet coughed up mouthfuls of water before gray eyes opened tiredly when he was laid back down. Unmoving he stared up at nothing, his expression near painful with unhidden grief.

"I can't go back," he stated hoarsely.

"Squall--"

"I can't go back," he said again as if not hearing Seifer. "And I'm trapped in hell."

"Why?! What have I done wrong to make this hell for you? I understand it hurts to lose what you had, but damn it, I'm trying... I'm trying to make things better..." Shoving his fingers through wet strands of blond, he growled out his frustration that he could never make things right. The light press of coldness at his cheek startled him, bright green eyes then meeting somber gray as Squall removed his hand.

The merman looked about to say something, but his lips instead tightened when he vaguely shook his head. Sitting up in a smooth motion, he leaned forward enough to press salty lips against Seifer's for a chaste kiss and a small taste as a tongue ran across his lower lip. Before pulling back, Squall whispered into the joining, "This is my hell."

Seifer continued to sit there stunned, his hand still on top his head with fingers spread within wet gold. Not speaking, the brunet stood up rather unsteadily, soon walking out of the larger man's line of vision as Seifer stared with wide eyes at nothing. Their life together whirled through his mind as he tried to identify any other moment, any other word that could have suggested the merman wanted more than a simple friendship. Or rather, as simple as an acquaintance could be between a human and a creature of the sea. There was none he could remember, not even when he had made the offering of his choker to the stoic beauty had there been anything more than the quiet smile. ...And yet for years he had worn the item despite their separation, despite his desertion. Cool metal that still shone like new despite the decade in corrosive salty water.

Moving hands to cover his face, Seifer laughed quietly as cautious seagulls watched him from a distance.

{Continued}


	2. Chapter 2

As his son walked hand-in-hand with the silent merman, Seifer lagged behind by several feet and watched the pair with drifting focus. They were currently heading into town, Squall being forced away from the comfort of home and the beach because of Adryan's wish to show him off to the Kinneas family. Selphie was an old friend, perhaps the only real friend Seifer had from the early orphan days, the energetic girl never one to be put off by a coarse word or childish insult. Since Fujin's pregnancy, the motherly woman had made herself a firm spot in Adryan's life, demanding for lengthy visits with her 'angel'. And so, they were taking the boy to town for that reason, and once his son would be in safe hands, Seifer planned to purchase random food stuffs before returning home with Squall.

Since the moment they had left earlier that morning, the boy had barely ceased talking to Squall, going into disorganized detail about his Aunt Selphie and her family, randomly jumping from topic to topic as it'd come to his young mind. The energetic daughter and two sons in the family were Adryan's only real friends, the shy boy uncomfortable with most other people for whatever reason. Hyne knew how he could handle the trio of misfits, but Seifer figured his son was always pampered when spending the night at the Kinneas home.

However, at that moment, the large man was more focused on the person to the boy's side, Squall somehow appearing to smile down at the boy even though his lips were in a neutral line. It had been days since the merman's confession of sorts, and yet the brunet had acted no differently as compared to the weeks previous, nor did he hint again at the sorrow Seifer knew he must still be feeling. Though Squall was a master of masks and shields, that one slip was all it took to alert Seifer, to make him truly pay attention to the merman. The shifts in mood were vague, unnoticeable to someone who didn't know the brunet, but Seifer saw how only Adryan could make him happy and draw out the almost smiles. The horrible part about it was that Seifer was starting to feel jealous against his own son for succeeding where he failed.

During the day it was watching, and at night came the dreams. They weren't anything new, Seifer long ago recognizing the beauty of the sea creature. Back then it was a ridiculous fantasy, loving a half-fish. The sea that connected them was also a barrier, the blond unable to give his heart to someone he couldn't truly have. So he had left temptation. Training, bloodied battles, Fujin, and then Adryan filled his life afterwards as he easily pushed the childhood crush aside. Why he never attempted to contact Squall once he had returned to the old orphanage, Seifer didn't really know. There were excuses, but in the end, he wondered if he was afraid to see the matured sea creature, afraid of the precious friendship that could never be more.

But now, the sea was no longer a barrier. Even so, Seifer was hesitant to assume what the merman truly wanted. There was a time when the blond would have damned everything to hell and taken the sea creature so conveniently placed into his lap. But that was before he had amazingly and inconceivably become a father. Funny how one small addition to a life could completely change a person.

"Come on, Papa!"

Blinking, Seifer looked up to find the twosome further ahead than what seemed to him only moments ago. Then he noticed that they were already a fair distance into town, the Kinneas home just a few buildings away. Waving, Seifer motioned for Adryan to move on ahead. Due to his long stride, the blond man was standing beside the small boy just before the door opened in response to previous knocks by Adryan. With an ever-present smile on her face, a slim brown-haired woman had barely opened the door before she swooped down to collect the young boy into her arms.

"A-ah, my little angel is finally here! I've missed you so much," she said while snuggling the boy like one would a stuffed toy.

"Aunt Selphie, you hug too hard."

In reply to the laugh-filled whine, the small woman hugged even stronger before setting him back down. "Well, you must be one tired boy to have your father make you walk all the way here. Go inside and Davis will help you sneak a snack before he shows off the new game he got. Sound good?"

Nodding, he took a step forward before stopping suddenly. "Oh, Aunt Selphie, Aunt Selphie. This is Squall. Can he have a treat, too?"

"I don't see why..." She looked directly at the brunet, hazel eyes widening in surprise. "Oh my."

"Aunt Selphie?"

With a slight shake of her head, the broad smile returned in full force. "I don't see why not. How about you get something for your father, too?"

"Un! Come on, _berenas_. I want you to meet Davis and Cal and Laney."

Despite his obvious discomfort at being around too many humans at once, Squall let himself be pulled inside by the young boy.

"What happened to him?" Selphie asked, suddenly serious without any of the children in sight.

Smiling weakly, Seifer remembered the last time the motherly woman had seen his son, Adryan already deep into the sickness that had claimed many young lives in the area. She had offered to help care for the boy, but Seifer had refused instantly, not wishing to endanger the Kinneas children. From there, he had hurried home and to the beach of his youth where he called upon the merman for help. Barely a month past, and yet Squall seemed to already fit into their lives as if he had been living in the home for years. But Selphie didn't need to know that part of the story, no matter how much Seifer trusted the fellow orphan.

The large man shrugged. "Turned out it was just a typical cold. And you know kids. One day he was sick, and the next completely better."

"While I'm more than pleased to see my angel alive and well, I was speaking about this... Squall, was it?" With a mischievous smile, she leaned in closer. "I know he's a mermaid."

With years of skill at gambling behind him, Seifer just barely held back any signs of surprise. "First, I believe that would be 'merman' in his case. And second, I'm not seeing the resemblance."

"Don't you play stupid with me. With all the time you spent with him when we were younger, do you really think I wouldn't recognize the guy? And before you start, no, I don't believe your story about him being a boy who lived near the orphanage. I've seen that gorgeous tail of his several times."

Despite himself, Seifer frowned, not remembering a time when Squall would have been careless in front of other humans.

"Ah ha!" the woman exclaimed while pointing at the wrinkled forehead.

"Selphie, I'm merely wondering when you let your imagination get the better of you."

The victorious smile didn't falter. "Uh un, I know you. You're trying to figure out how I saw him. Well, for your information, it was after you left to become some war hero. The first time I just happened to see him watching the orphanage from a distance. It was him wearing your choker that caught my attention. Then abruptly he dove back into the water, and that's when I thought I noticed the tail. I eventually confirmed it when he returned on several other nights."

"Shit. Tell me that you didn't mention this to anyone."

She slapped the blond lightly on the head. "Do you really think I'm that much of an idiot? If anyone would even believe me, they'd probably try to catch some of those lovely creatures and cage them for some carnival. Or if their... AH, he healed Adryan, didn't he? I mean, mermaids are supposed to have healing powers, right?"

After a moment of hesitation, Seifer nodded in reply.

"O-oh, what a wonderful person. I'll have to treat him for saving my angel like that. What does he like, hmmm?" Glee was lost once more to seriousness as she placed a tender hand on his cheek. "What's wrong?"

Seifer didn't bother hiding the guilt that plagued him. "It's my fault, Selph. Because he saved Dray, Squall was forced to become human, exiled from his home because of me."

With a soft smile, she shook her head. "Always ready to take the blame, aren't you?"

"Selph--"

"Uh un, I heard all the same lines when Fujin up and left you with barely a word. Frankly, I know my angel and I can already tell he is completely in love with that mermaid of yours. That means there's a reason why Adryan trusts him."

"He's three years old."

"He's almost four and we both know there's something special about that boy. Anyway," hazel eyes narrowed knowingly, "did you ever consider that maybe Squall wanted to save the angel for his own comfort?"

Seifer opened his mouth to argue, but then snapped it shut when an oddity of that night suddenly came to mind: the merman had known Adryan's name. Just how much did Squall know about the young boy before his exile? He then glared at the smaller woman, wondering how in the hell she could easily make assumptions like that after briefly meeting Squall.

With an exaggerated sigh, Selphie wrapped an arm around Seifer's. "Enough talk. Let's get you fed and then you can run back home for a weekend without your son getting in the way. Seems like you need the time to think things through for once."

Absently the blond nodded, thoughts drifting to the vague plans he had already made for that night. It was selfish of him, but Seifer was sick of the invisible walls he kept running into when it came to the brunet. All he wanted was make the exiled merman happy in some way, to heal the soul that was obvious torn apart at losing his world and life. Frowning slightly, Seifer realized that he didn't even know what being exiled meant to Squall, what he might have lost aside from the 'bearer' for whom he cared deeply.

Selphie led the large man to the kitchen area where Squall was already sitting with three young boys - Davis, Cal, and of course, Dray, who was happily perched on the brunet's lap. Seifer was forced to take a seat at the table while Selphie could play hostess and fetch drinks for them. The boys ranging in age already had mouths full of brownies while Squall watched on silently as they spoke about the newest game on the market. Seifer soon found himself with a tall glass of lemonade in his hand and sharing his own conversation with Selphie about possible preschools for the coming school year.

Hours later after a large lunch, Seifer helped to carry dishes to the sink, catching a glance outside from the small window. He just barely held back a curse considering the children in the next room. "Where the hell did those clouds come from? It was practically blue skies just this morning."

Selphie peaked over his shoulder, hazel eyes widening. "Whoa, those are real storm clouds coming our way. There should be a downpour within the hour, I'll bet."

"Selph--"

"Oh, no. I'm not letting you out of this house. I don't care if you're a big boy. All of you so-called men turn into babies whenever you get sick, and I certainly don't want you giving my angel anything. You and Squall will just have to sleep in the guestroom for the night. Adryan likes to sleep with the boys anyway, so it's not like there isn't any room for the two of you."

Sighing amused, Seifer replied, "Yes, mother." He knew far better than to argue with Selphie about these matters, but it was bothersome to have to wait yet another night to speak with Squall about their situation.

Thinking about the merman, he glanced to the other room and smiled at the sight of the brunet with a lap full of not only Dray but barely three-year-old Laney as well. Selphie was reluctant at first to leave the girl in his hold, but when the typically antsy girl found a perfect spot resting against the merman and fell instantly asleep, the protective mother didn't have the heart to move her baby girl. Seifer had to wonder where Squall got such an experienced hand handling children.

Selphie placed the last set of dishes next to the sink, regaining the blond's attention. "Now, about us taking Adryan out shopping for some real clothes..."

* * *

With light steps, Squall walked down the unfamiliar hallway until finding the room where Adryan slept with the two Kinneas brothers. Rather, where he was supposed to be asleep. Gently opening the door without making too much sound, the merman looked inside and took a few moments before finding the boy huddled into the far corner that was opposite of the wall where bunk beds held sleeping forms.

" _Berenas_ ," Adryan whispered loudly in both surprise and relief.

Sighing at the misused term, Squall tread silently to the boy and knelt down. "You should be asleep, young _solas_."

He shook his head roughly, then reached out for the merman. Taking a seat on the floor, Squall let the boy wrap small arms around his body and rest his head against his chest. A cool hand rubbed gently at the back that heaved occasionally with silent sobs, the slight trembling soon soothed away from the body.

"Were the dreams bad tonight?"

The replying nod was more felt than seen in the darkened room. "Aunt Selphie and Cal got hurt really bad."

Squall didn't say anything in comfort to the boy, knowing it was rather pointless. While they shared the ability to sense emotions of others, Adryan was something more. He couldn't say how exactly, but no child suffered from the almost foreseeing dreams of this one. And certainly rare youths were as stoic about nightmares, the boy refusing to worry his father about such 'childish fears'. Squall only discovered the secret when the sensation of terror woke him one night, the event driving him from bed and to the child's room with the fear that something had happened to Adryan. The boy was surprised by the rushed entrance, and later begged for his father to not be told about the nightmares. How could he refuse such eyes.

"Could you tell me a story?"

"Adryan, you shouldn't rely on me like this."

Small hands tightly clutched the shirt in his hold. "But tonight was _really_ bad."

After a deep breath in surrender, Squall started to softly sing a random tale that was short and rarely failed to help a child drop back to sleep. The blond boy in his hold was certainly no exception, soon drifting back to sleep and didn't wake when the merman gently placed him back onto thick sheets and covered the small form. Brushing a finger against a cheek, he whispered for sweet dreams in his own language and hoped the boy was soothed enough to sleep through any further nightmares.

Carefully walking out of the room as to not step on scattered toys, Squall made for the door but paused before exiting. " _Mea_ Kinneas?"

The form slumped against the doorframe jolted out of her doze, hazel eyes blinking in surprise. "Oh dear, that song is a doosie. You'll have to teach it to me sometime. And, sweetie, just call me Selphie."

"If I woke you--"

She waved him silent. "No, no. Just a mother hearing something strange and had to check on her demons. Care to have some hot chocolate with me?"

Squall almost declined, but the small woman had already turned towards the kitchen and walked with an air that suggested he wasn't allowed to refuse her. As he trailed behind the woman without a vocal complaint, Squall rubbed a temple that throbbed slightly from the minor irritation at suffering with humans who didn't seem to ever accept 'no' for an answer.

"Do you like marshmallows?"

Not recognizing the term, Squall shrugged in reply.

"Don't tell me you haven't been introduced to marshmallows yet? Oh, shame on Seifer, denying you the greater joys of our world. I must really speak with that man. And don't tell me, you've been wearing his old clothes, haven't you? Really, with the money he got out of his mercenary days..." Finished with preparing things on the stove, she sat heavily on the adjacent chair. "Now, what were you doing with my precious angel?"

Squall frowned in thought, trying to make sense of everything said in such a casual manner. "You know? About me?"

Selphie smiled sweetly. "Of course I know. Seifer can't keep much from me for long. Well, truthfully I don't know the details just yet, but I know what you were. I also saw you waiting for him all those years before I moved into the city with Irvine. It always broke my heart to see you watching the orphanage when I knew Seifer wasn't there." She leaned across the table, hazel eyes intent. "Are you still in love with the idiot?"

Squall stared in bafflement.

"You are, aren't you? A-ah, how sweet. It's like a fairy tale, you finally able to be with your prince. And Seifer finally gets to be with his, um, stable boy... yeah, I think there must have been a story about that. He's wanted you for so long. Tell me, did he have you in his bed the moment you got your legs?"

Despite the technical truth of that happening, the merman shook his head. "I think you're mistaken."

"About what?" she asked while standing and moving to the stove.

"Seifer doesn't see me that way."

Selphie burst into laughter, quickly muffling the sound as to not wake anyone. "And did he tell you this tidbit?"

"He didn't need to."

"Oh, you poor blind thing," she said while pouring dark liquid into two mugs. After placing the steaming cups onto the table, she grabbed a bag of whiteness and sat back down. "Don't drink until it cools a little, dear. Now, oh yes, Seifer. Well, whether he knew it or not, he's loved you since probably the beginning, I guess. I just remember this little boy who got so easily upset over anything, and always ran off before anyone could see his tears. But then he changed a little, like he finally let something go. I remember first seeing you shortly after that, but Seifer told us all that you lived further up the beach or something like that. Marshmallow?"

Unthinkingly, Squall grabbed the odd, white object that was apparently food stuff. Biting into the squishiness, gray-blue eyes brightened at the sweet taste and interesting texture.

"They're even better when toasted over a fire. We'll have to do a camping trip with you someday soon." She sipped at the drink, wincing slightly. "Whew, still hot. Careful with it. Anyway, Seifer really started showing a different side after that year. Sure he was still a pain in the rear, but more like an older brother than your typical brat. He even saved me from a group of monsters once, carried me all the way home since I had hurt my leg. A-ah, it was so sad when he left to become a mercenary."

Squall held the warm mug tightly between two hands, remembering the night Seifer said his abrupt goodbye. There were no warnings in the days previous. Just the simple words that he was leaving the next day. The gift of his choker after that had seemed a spontaneous decision, probably because of the crestfallen look Squall couldn't hide at the thought of never seeing the blond human again.

"Did he ever introduce you to Fujin?"

He shook his head.

"Hmmm, was he hiding you away again? Trying to keep you for himself? He's always been the possessive sort."

"... ..."

"Well, I hope he paid some attention to you despite parenting taking up all of his time."

Squall lightly bit his lip while staring into the still steaming liquid.

"No... Don't tell me he didn't talk to you once he came back?"

He shrugged.

"O-oh, that man! I'm going to tear him a new--"

Squall grabbed her wrist as the woman stood up from her chair, her looking serious with intent to do some damage to the man. Hazel eyes were oddly heated, the merman seriously confused as to why this person was so furious when Seifer was her friend, her barely knowing anything about Squall.

With an annoyed huff, Selphie sat back down. "Fine, I'll let him have his rest for now, but only because I don't want to wake the children. I make no promises for the morning." After a long sip of warm liquid, her easy smile returned. "He probably doesn't deserve you, but bear with him. He probably doesn't realize it himself, but Seifer still cares a lot about you. He doesn't let just anyone hold Adryan like you do, and I haven't seen him so focused on someone's ass since Fujin."

Blinking, Squall stared at the woman. "Why would he want to look at someone's ass?"

~ > < ~

Squall sniffed at the stemmed glass containing a deep red liquid, his nose wrinkling in distaste.

He was laughed at for the expression, Seifer taking the glass back from the merman. "Alright, you don't have to try it, but this is pretty cheap stuff. One of these days I'll buy a decent wine for you to enjoy."

Scowling at the bottle of red wine, Squall wasn't too certain that he could enjoy something that smelled so bitter.

With a deep sigh, the large blond took a seat next to him on the couch and stretched out long legs. "It's always strange not having the kid around. He visits with Selphie about once a month, and I swear, she acts like Dray is a long lost son every time I bring him for a weekend."

The brunet smiled vaguely while thinking about the overly kind woman who had welcomed him wholeheartedly and gave him the first tastes of hot chocolate and freshly baked brownies. Reflexively licking the corner of his lips, he wondered if Seifer happened to know how to make the same chocolate treats. He felt it somewhat a shame that the weather cleared enough that afternoon for Seifer and him to return home, though it was nice to have quiet moments without the four children running all about the place. At least they were slightly easier than the children of his people, the factor of being able to swim in all directions not an issue with the ground-bound humans.

"The little guy really likes you, y'know. And he usually doesn't take well to strangers. Hell, I nearly had a heart attack seeing him on your lap that one morning." Smirking, Seifer sipped at his wine. "Say, I've been meaning to ask you about that 'beren'-whatever Dray has been calling you lately. What's that about?"

"He wanted to know more about my language. It's nothing."

"And that doesn't answer my question, does it?"

Squall shifted his sitting position, hugging a bent leg close to his chest. "It basically translates to 'mother'."

Seifer choked slightly on his wine, setting the glass down quickly before laughing out loud. "He's been calling you _mommy_?"

He winced despite the tone being amused and not angry. "I didn't mean for him to. He asked what word we used and I never imagined him wanting to call me by it."

Thinking back to the few nights previous, Squall easily remembered the shy voice asking what mothers were called in his language. He had replied without thought, telling him the phrase used by children in reference to their bearers. When Adryan had used that term for him the next morning, Squall was filled with both happiness and horror at the simple word. He was honored that the boy thought so highly of him after only a month's time, but he wasn't the child's mother and was afraid that Seifer would think he was trying to replace the missing woman. It was nowhere near the truth, the merman only wishing to help Adryan through the troubles that typically came to those with unique sight. With the boy skilled at hiding such pains from his father, Squall found himself in the position of soothing away the nightmares and stresses that the child never spoke of out loud.

"Squall..." The voice was suddenly quiet and soothing. "What did you want out of life?"

Confused by the change in subject, he hugged his leg a little tighter. "What do you mean?"

"Well, like I had those dreams to become some glamorous knight, my name known everywhere I would go. And when I got into that mercenary group, I found that I really did like fighting with a good blade. Nothing else really made me feel alive like nearly losing my head during a battle. For a long while, I imagined that for my life and future, and I was happy with the choice. ...Then Dray was born and everything changed." He paused briefly in thought before stating, "Back when we were young, it was always me talking, wasn't it? I never really thought about what you would want out of life, what your dreams were. I'm just curious what has changed for you."

Squall shrugged. "Nothing important. I didn't have dreams like yours."

"Come on, everyone has dreams. And I'm assuming that you had something planned for your life."

"I had my status. My life was planned for me."

Eyes narrowed slightly in thought. "You've mentioned that before. What was this status of yours exactly?"

"To have children and raise them to maturity."

Blinking, Seifer looked at him questioningly. "What the hell kind of status is that?"

"Unlike humans, few of our race are fertile; thus, it's an honored status of my people to be able to bring more children into the world."

A small frown formed on his lips. "But now you won't be able to have children of your own."

"It was a fair trade to be able to save another child. A special child at that."

"Hn. And how did you know his name back then?"

Feeling shameful, Squall pressed his face against his raised knee. "I heard you calling him that."

"When?"

"... ..."

"Wait, have you been watching us?"

A slight nod was the only reply.

"Fuck, for how long? And why didn't you ever try, oh I don't know, talking to me? Saying 'hello' every now and again?"

"You had your intended."

Seifer looked about to argue further, but instead released a frustrated sigh. "No, I'm to blame as well for that lost time. So, you've been watching all this time and I never had a clue. Hyne, I'm such an idiot."

Somewhat surprised at the continued ease with which the man was taking everything, Squall looked up cautiously and met bright green eyes directly. The sudden flood of emotion he could read from those unshielded eyes took away his breath and made his heart ache.

"What do you want, Squall?"

Unable to answer, he watched as a hand reached out and fingertips gently raked through his hair before the warm hand pressed against his cheek.

"Why did you kiss me?"

Squall glanced to the side, focusing on the glass of redness sitting on the table. "Because she did."

Moving closer, Seifer forced the merman to look at him. "How long have you felt this way?"

"It meant nothing."

The large blond laughed quietly. "Would you believe me if I said that I had thought the same?"

In a muted voice, the merman replied, "Selphie thought you might have cared for me."

Unsurprised, Seifer smirked lightly. "I know very well what our little matchmaker thinks. I overheard you two talking late last night. Stable boy, indeed."

Stormy eyes widened at the thought that he hadn't even sensed the man standing close by, but with so many humans in one area and being focused on Selphie's words, he figured it was possible. He then paled slightly at the thought of the woman going into detail with him about why a man would enjoy a 'nice, firm ass'.

"Squall, I did care for you back then. A lot. I wouldn't have given you my father's choker otherwise. But when I had to bend down from the pier to hand it to you, that distance was too much for me to think of anything more." Lifting Squall's face from behind the barrier of his leg, the blond leaned close while saying softly, "But things are different now."

Warm lips were then pressed lightly against his, the merman surprised by Seifer's move. It was completely different from the kiss he had stolen days before, something he had done spontaneously without much knowledge about what a kiss truly was aside from the times watching Seifer with the white-haired woman years past. The soft flesh massaged gently against his, the unusual feel soothing away instinctive tenseness as his eyelids slowly closed in pleasure. There was also the lacking taste of saltiness from sea water, instead a faint bitter flavor teasing his tongue. Squall almost pulled away at the sudden realization that he was licking the lips pressed against his, doing the action unthinkingly like the time before, but then thick warmth slid against his tongue, and the idea of Seifer touching him in this way made his body flare with heat. The kiss deepened, the merman confused but pleased by the utterly irrational act of the wine flavored tongue entering his mouth. Uncertain with what to do, he sucked lightly at the flesh to draw out more of the unique taste, Seifer moaning into the joining of lips.

The deep sound still vibrating in his ears, Squall pulled back sharply and he hissed out, "Something's wrong."

The blond sneered teasingly. "That's right. You stopped kissing me."

Shaking his head, the merman couldn't quite meet the bright green eyes. "I forget what you call it, but it's stiff suddenly and it hurts."

The smile faded into a small frown, Seifer silent for a long moment until his hand drifted down to cup between the spread legs. "Here?"

As he nodded, Squall bit his lower lip at the odd feel of the hand covering the area now throbbing with ache.

Speaking more to himself, the man said quietly, "Hyne, I forget what you were at times." After a vague smile and a gentle kiss to parted lips, Seifer spoke with seriousness. "Does it hurt as in painful or does it feel different than that?"

Just before he could attempt a reply, the merman gasped as a thumb stroked against the inflamed flesh beneath the thin cloth of shorts. " _Maie Enutpen_..."

"Guess that answers that," he said with a chuckle. Pulling away his hand, Seifer pushed himself up from the couch to stand. "Let's continue this in my room. It should make... exploration easier for the both of us."

"Then, this is normal?" Squall asked uncertainly as he took hold of an offered hand and was pulled to his feet.

"Very much so. Come on, let me show you how to take care of that problem of yours."

Led into the room the merman hadn't been in since that first awkward morning, he stood in a half-trance as the large man carefully helped to remove the two pieces of clothing he wore. Squall sighed at the removal of the hateful clothing, the material annoying and scratchy after a lifetime spend in flowing water. As warm hands trailed up his bare skin when Seifer stood, the brunet shivered from sensation that should have been simple, normal, but was somehow much more compared to the other touches of the man. He was suddenly pulled close then, pressed hard against the solid body before him as they kissed once more. Hands clutching the shirt material blocking his skin from a more satisfying touching, Squall silently cursed the human idiot that came up with clothing in the first place.

By an experienced hand, the merman was led to the large bed and made to lie down on the comforter that felt cool against his heated skin. Gray-blue eyes locked with bright green momentarily, the clarity of the man's emotions making Squall moan softly and reach out for him. Seifer dodged the hand while smiling teasingly, the blond then removing his shirt as he walked around the bed. Sliding off baggy shorts as he sat on the mattress edge, he moved in a part roll to stretch out on his side next to the naked merman.

Looking down briefly at the revealed hardness, a dark eyebrow arched with interest. "So, it is normal."

"As if I'd lie to you," Seifer murmured softly before taking claim of the pale lips.

Not wholly satisfied by the press of lips, the merman rolled onto his side to bring his body against the unending heat of the large man. Inhaling sharply at the sensation while Seifer hummed pleased, Squall wrapped an arm around the body before him and ran his hand up the bared back. Still thinking it wasn't enough, his leg practically moved on its own to entangle with the stronger legs of the human. Breathing a laugh, Squall decided that there was something decent to legs after all as he enjoyed the friction he caused with small movements, especially when focused on that one aching spot.

Abruptly moving with a growl, Seifer rolled him onto his back and placed a bent knee firmly against the harden flesh. "Damn innocent tease," he stated with a gentle bite to a sensitized lip.

When the thigh pressed forward in a rubbing motion, Squall threw back his head with a small gasp at the spike of pleasure it caused. Chuckling, the blond moved his kisses to the exposed neck, alternating between hard presses and tender nips at the strangest spots. But it was when a large hand wrapped around his throbbing length that reality seemed to shatter, Squall unable to focus on anything else aside from that touch and the general knowledge of Seifer's presence all along his body. It felt good, amazing, that simple pumping motion, but it also brought an odd reaching type of sensation.

" _Aese, menegh. Maie anleh, aese..._ "

When the hand left its position, gray-blue eyes snapped open in the fear that Seifer thought he wasn't enjoying himself, that this would suddenly end before he had the chance to understand what he was reaching for. Desperate words of continuation were abruptly cut off from thought as he stared deeply into fevered green eyes.

"Fuck, you're absolutely gorgeous like this. I wasn't going to, not so soon, but I need to be in you, Squall. I shouldn't, but with you like this--"

The rambling words were cut off with a hard kiss, the merman then speaking in a rough voice, "Do what you need, _maie anleh_."

Seifer smiled at the words, though the guilt didn't quite leave his face. He moved quickly to take something from the nightstand, then still didn't return to press against his body but instead sat back on his feet. An oil of some sort was placed onto two fingers, the material lightly spread by his thumb. The vial left unneeded to the side, the freed hand rubbed underneath a limp leg before lifting it tenderly onto a broad shoulder.

"It may hurt, but try to relax," he said in a soothing tone.

The slick fingers stroked carefully around sensitive flesh as Squall let his whole body relax to prove his trust in the man. When the fingers pressed inward, the merman gasped loudly at the brief contact, Seifer abruptly pulling his hand away and leaving Squall empty.

" _Menegh! Menegh, ehe ea binde a orallui'ef tu siet arhin'as eten ouve istere._ "

Green eyes widened at the growled words, Seifer then clearing his throat. "Um, what was that again?"

"More, you bastard, or I'll tie you to a reef and let the sharks eat you alive," Squall said in the same frustrated tone.

A shocked cough turned into laughter as the blond followed the order with an amused, 'Yes, master.' Though the spike of pleasure was no less intense, the merman was better prepared for the sensation and let the amazing feel flow across his entire body. Biting his lower lip in the attempt to balance some of the pleasure with pain, he rocked slightly with the gentle press of fingers.

"Shit, you aren't completely human after all, are you? Incredible."

Through slit eyes, Squall stared at him, understanding the words but not quite able to question them. More so, he didn't want to for fear that the human would stop what he was doing yet again. That reaching feel was there once more, and he knew he was close to that final point. Just a little more...

But then fingers slid out once again, Squall instantly trying to figure out where the closest shark territory was in these parts, until the man shifted his position to a more centered spot. There was a bare warning of heated flesh against tender skin before the thick length was pressed slowly inside of that opening, spreading flesh and causing warm friction.

" _Enutpen! Aese, maie anleh, aese. Aa mene, aa mene..._ "

Seifer was then leaning over him, shushing the merman quietly while gently kissing moist flesh. "It's okay, Squall, it's okay. Hyne, this feels... fuck, it's beyond words."

Unable to speak while trying in vain to force some of the clouding pleasure from his mind, the merman could only rake fingers through golden hair, grasping ineffectually at the short strands.

"Am I hurting you?"

Squall laughed breathily at the worried, yet desired filled voice. "No, _maie anleh_. Never."

Despite the words, Seifer pulled out slowly, the move making the brunet whimper shamefully at the idea of that blessed heat leaving his body. But just before pulling out completely, the man thrust forward once more to press even deeper than previously. There was no world after that point, only sensations and vague sounds as Squall gave the blond complete control over his body. In time that renewed sense of reaching was abruptly replaced by a sharp pull over an unseen edge, dropping the merman into never imagined heated bliss.

Stormy eyes snapped open from darkness, his whole body shaking at the coldness left after such flames of pleasure. Seifer was immediately there, his body covering as much as it could along the smaller form. Shushing tones and soothing words slowly drove away violent tremors, Squall then taking deep breaths as he buried his face into the crook of neck and shoulder.

"Hey, you alright?"

He nodded slightly in reply, hoping Seifer could feel the move.

"Damn, knew I was good in bed, but never had a reaction like that from a partner."

Squall frowned at the idea of others with the blond, but then brushed the thought aside knowing that he held no claim over the man. It wasn't really a surprise to learn that others had found him desirable, taking advantage of a mutual attraction. Not a pleasant thought, but an understandable one.

A hand drifted over his ass, kneading carefully. "Looks like I hurt you after all. There was some blood when I pulled out."

"'m fine," Squall muttered, not feeling any pain in his numbed state.

The drowsy tone was laughed at, Seifer then rolling away briefly to switch off the bedroom light. When the merman was held tightly in his arms once more, he kissed the head of messed hair. "Let's get some sleep. We can clean up later."

Not really conscious to begin with, Squall hummed a neutral reply before closing his eyes. As the thought of what there was to clean teased his mind, he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Seeing the familiar figure approaching the house at a slow pace, Seifer sat up from his chair and moved into the kitchen to make up a couple of bowls of granola and fruits with yogurt for breakfast. At one time he'd cook up something that was more hardy in his mindset, but fruits and grains were safest, the single experience with sausage quickly reminding Seifer that some things didn't settle well with the merman.

Bowls were placed on the table just as Squall stepped inside, the sight of the dark hair still damp from the early morning shower making Seifer smirk lightly. The merman had been completely appalled by the idea of cum covering his stomach throughout the night. Fortunately, his disgust for cum in general was dissuaded once Seifer demonstrated the benefit worth the temporary mess. However, those pleasure filled thoughts quickly scattered once the man focused on downcast eyes hazed in thought.

"You didn't see him."

Gray-blue eyes cleared slightly as he looked up at Seifer, the merman then taking his typical seat where he poked at a sliced strawberry with his spoon.

"No offense, Squall, but do you really think that he'll be allowed to speak with you?"

"I know it isn't permitted, and I don't want him to get into trouble. I just... I've never been good with words."

Smiling, Seifer picked a blueberry from his bowl and held it up to the merman's lips, not speaking until the fruit was taken by a teasing tongue. "Do you really think that this 'bearer' of yours doesn't know how much you care for him? You're out there almost every morning, and even if you didn't do that, you're his child. There are things that fathers just know." He held a piece of yogurt covered strawberry to the pale lips.

After licking the fingertips clean and eating the sweet fruit, Squall smiled softly.

Seifer froze at the sight, not remembering the last time he was the one to directly cause the simple expression of happiness.

"You once told me a human phrase, 'be careful what you wish for,' or something like that. Maybe..." He let the sentence hang as he picked out a large piece of strawberry from his own bowl and placed it against Seifer's lower lip. "Maybe I got what I wished for."

Taking the deep red fruit into his mouth, the blond also bit lightly at the offering fingers before leaning back in his chair. "Think you got what you wanted?"

Squall sighed, stormy eyes shifting to look out at the distance of ocean. "I don't know."

 

{Continued}


	3. Chapter 3

"... and so, surrendering to the pleading smile, they followed Laguna's lead."

Closing the front door behind him, Seifer was surprised to hear the familiar voice speaking in amused tones from the living room area. After briskly rubbing cold hands together, the large blond shrugged off his lengthy coat and hung it in the front closet. Heavy boots were then removed as the merman's voice carried over to him.

"Of course, they should have counted on their friend's horrid sense of direction to get them lost. In Laguna's mind, however, he thought that they rather liked the adventures that typically started with the words, 'Well, that doesn't look familiar.' On that day, mere moments after the infamous words had been spoken, they found themselves trapped in a sunken ship with a group of frenzied sharks circling just outside."

With a tender smile, the blond man walked soundlessly into the larger room. His smile widened at the sight of Squall sitting in the middle of the couch, Adryan leaning against his one side while Laney was resting on the merman's lap from the other direction. Before him sat Cal and Davis, the boys unusually still as they stared with widen eyes at their storyteller. Behind them the fireplace held a nice flame, Seifer enjoying the warmth of it after his long walk in the darkened evening.

"How'd that happen?" asked Davis, the elder of the two Kinneas boys.

Squall smiled softly in amusement. "Well, Laguna thought it would be good practice to fight a lonesome shark they had come across. But before they had even attacked, Laguna cut himself on his own spear. The scent of blood attracted at least fifteen more of the creatures and forced the three friends to race for shelter, which ended up being the ship Laguna wanted to explore in the first place."

Seifer had the urge to laugh, remembering plenty of stories about the merman named Laguna and his two friends - Kiros and Ward. But the blond didn't dare make any unnecessary sounds as he moved to sit on the couch. Adryan stirred at the sinking cushions, a small smile forming when hazel eyes focused on his father. Pushing up from Squall's side, the blond boy moved to Seifer's lap and rested his head against the broad chest while keeping his eyes focused on the merman.

Cal scooted closer to the couch. "How did they get out?"

"Well, truthfully, the sharks weren't much of a problem once Ward and Kiros handled the few small enough to sneak into the cracks of the ship. When the smell of blood had faded, the sharks eventually wandered off for easier prey. No, the hardest part was dragging Laguna away from the ship before their bearers could discover that they were missing. And let me tell you, sharks are nothing compared to what an upset sire can do. Kiros was also worried about the fascination Laguna held for the sharper objects in the ship."

Davis admirably stifled a yawn before asking, "So, did they get into trouble?"

"Not a chance, buddy," Seifer spoke before the merman could. "It's bedtime for the lot of you. Squall can tell you more stories another time."

Though the two Kinneas boys huffed at being ordered to bed, they went without a vocal complaint knowing that their uncle wouldn't let them get away with anything, especially if they resorted to whining. Laney was already fast asleep, Squall easily carrying the young girl to her own room. Adryan stood up on the couch cushions, giving his father a quick hug before jumping off to the floor and hurrying to catch up to the other boys.

In time Squall returned from putting Laney to bed, the dark-haired man then tiredly dropping to sit next to Seifer. Smiling, the large blond slipped an arm around the lean waist and pulled the merman closer. It had been several months since their first night of sex, and yet, whether because of their extensive past or some other reason, Seifer felt like they had been together for far longer. He couldn't remember it being this natural to hold Fujin, some body part always in the way or the angle uncomfortable, but with Squall, it was always a simple pleasure to merely sit for hours with barely a word spoken between them.

"How are Selphie and Irvine?"

Seifer smirked. "Alive. They got through the worst of their colds, but they're both exhausted. Irvine nearly collapsed after answering the door when I first showed up. I hung around to make them another large batch of soup that should tide them over for a couple of days." Making a show of looking around the living room, he continued to say, "Well, since everything seems in place and nothing burnt, I guess you didn't have any problems here?"

Frowning, Squall half-heartedly glared at the blond. "The children were perfect. Stop making them seem like demons."

"They _are_ demons. Even Selphie admits to that."

"Whatever," he huffed while shifting to rest his head against Seifer's shoulder.

"Don't tell me that they finally wore you out."

"... ..."

Recognizing the slight tensing of the body pressed against him, Seifer looked down at dark brown hair. "What's wrong?"

"It's just been awhile since I've told stories about Laguna..."

There was no immediate reply from the blond, green eyes turning their focus to the flames in the fireplace. His first reaction was anger at the apparent fact that he still wasn't good enough to make the merman happy, but that brief flare of emotion passed quickly once Seifer reminded himself that he wouldn't be any better in a similar situation. Being forbidden from ever seeing Adryan again would be torture, especially if Seifer knew that his child was waiting just out of reach. And hell, simply being taken from the world he knew and understood would have probably destroyed him from the beginning. But Seifer couldn't deny that it still hurt to think that Squall wished for another life as he slept in their bed.

An unexpected brush of coldness against his forehead made Seifer return his attention to the merman, his gaze meeting one of intense blue-gray that seemed to peer right through him. Instinct made him want to escape such a piercing look, but in the same sense, he couldn't pull himself away from staring into the stormy depths. Meanwhile, Squall brushed aside the ever-present strands of blond that would fall over Seifer's forehead, elegant fingers then carefully tracing the long scar that cut in a steep slope from almost his hairline and down across the bridge of his nose to his right cheek. Seifer was tempted to touch the mirrored scar that existed on Squall's face, but he felt rather entranced by the blue-gray eyes and didn't have the desire to move.

Slowly such that their eye contact didn't break, the dark-haired man moved to straddle muscular thighs and wrap his arms over broad shoulders. When Squall closed his eyes, the blond couldn't help a brief feeling of loss at the broken connection. Pale lips then parted slightly as if to sigh, but instead it was a quiet song that escaped the merman. Green eyes widened slightly at the almost physical sensation of the song as it seemed to wrap all along his body and slowly seep through his skin. His blood burned within his veins and his heart ached with every clearly felt throb of life, and yet the song continued to force its way deeper into him, into his very mind and soul with its heated touch. Seifer wanted to plead for its end, to stop the pain, but there was also the determination to not release the aching heat that was somehow a part of Squall. A part of Squall that he dearly wanted.

In the end, it was the merman's choice as he let the song taper off, the burning sensation within Seifer not receding with the song as if hot embers were left deep inside of him. Seifer’s eyes had closed at some point during the song, and he could no longer will them open as he tried to collect himself. Sudden coldness pressed against his lips as Squall kissed him gently before parting a bare distance, soft breath flowing over golden skin when he spoke softly to Seifer.

"This is my love for you, something I can't express otherwise." He then leaned in closer, his cheek pressed against Seifer's as he wrapped his arms tighter around the larger man. "Forgive me. I wish for everything when I should be grateful for what I have."

Seifer opened his eyes slowly, the bright green gaze falling upon the flames within the fireplace that no longer held the same heat as before. Thought his expression was neutral, he savored the words that were spoken in a muted voice, words that were clearly meant only for him to hear. Once again able to move his body, Seifer slipped his arms under the merman's loose shirt to touch the cool softness of bare skin as held the slim form close. Time was meaningless as they didn't move, both holding onto something that was denied for too long.

"Papa?"

Reluctantly, Seifer reopened his eyes once more and looked over at the embarrassed youth. "Yeah, Dray?"

"Sorry, but can we have some water?"

There was the sincere temptation to say 'no', but he nodded instead. As Seifer leaned back and released his hold, Squall placed a foot back on the ground before standing up. Before the blond could push himself up as well, a hand was placed against his chest as Squall leaned over him.

"I'll get their water if you handle the fire."

Seifer smiled amused. "Of course. We can't have the fire burning unattended while we go to bed, can we?"

The only response was a vague smirk from the merman before he straightened and motioned Adryan into the kitchen.

As green eyes followed the pair for several moments, the blond man was amazed by the sense of rightness when he realized that Squall had almost completely taken over the role that Fujin had left behind years ago and that Seifer could never fulfill given his father role as well. But guilt followed soon after that realization, Seifer wondering if it was fair to have someone practically replace Adryan's true mother, a goodhearted woman who had been simply young and overwhelmed.

Sighing at such conflicting thoughts, he stood with a stretch and a wide yawn before walking up to the fireplace, new thoughts already forming about ways to spend the night that wouldn't wake up the children.

~ > < ~

"Here we go," Seifer said as he sat heavily on the couch and handed the brunet a large glass.

Blue-gray eyes narrowed suspiciously as Squall examined the cold, white slush.

"Trust me this time. I should have made something like this for you months ago. Anyway, tonight we deserve a celebration after nearly two weeks with those brats."

"They weren't brats," the merman muttered before he placed his lips around a thick straw and sampled the drink, stormy eyes then widening in surprise at the flavor. "It tastes sweet. Like that one fruit..."

"Pineapple. I probably should've known better than to try wine and beer on you, especially when there are plenty of fruity drinks that you would enjoy more. So, you like?"

Squall nodded while sipping more of the frozen drink.

Laughing after a long sip of his own portion, Seifer set his glass down on the table. "Careful. You don't want to get a cold headache."

"Whatever."

Bending over, the blond grabbed bare feet and pulled them up onto his lap, forcing Squall to stretch out and shift his sitting position on the other end of the couch. As the merman laid back and closed his eyes, Seifer took one of the feet in hand and massaged along the underside of the foot with a firm press of his thumbs. While working his magic on the sensitive foot, he watched Squall carefully for signs of discomfort. It had barely been six months since his exile, a time when the dark-haired man had at first refused to even look at his legs. In the months after, the simple suggestion of a foot massage would make him pale in disgust.

"Do they still bother you?"

Swallowing a mouthful of the pina colada, Squall didn't open his eyes. "What?"

"Your legs. Does it bother you to look at them?"

His eyelids twitched before hesitantly opening, blue-gray eyes defiant with a silent 'see, I'm fine with it' that Seifer didn't believe for a second.

Lifting the leg such that the foot rested on his shoulder, he moved his massage up to the calf. "They're beautiful, you know. Lean and tight with muscles," he said before lightly kissing the captured leg.

"... They're plain," Squall mumbled, then quickly turned his attention back to the drink in hand.

"Hmmm, you just don't have the eye for a gorgeous set of legs."

Whatever the merman was about to say was quickly cut off when Seifer began to nip and suck beneath the slightly bent knee. The blond had to hold onto the leg tighter as Squall first squirmed in a vague attempt to get away, but then moaned quietly as he arched back into the couch pillow. Chuckling, Seifer continued his attack at the hot spot while his free hand moved to massage the matching site on the other leg. It wasn't until a strangled ' _maie anleh_ ' escaped pale lips that the blond ceased his rather unfair assault, Seifer then smirking down shamelessly at the flushed face.

"Lovely and tasty legs indeed."

Lust filled eyes glared at him. " _Ungrig arhin'as_ , is this all you think about?"

"Your legs? Nah, I prefer to think about the entire package."

Drawing his leg back from its resting place on the broad shoulder, Squall leaned forward and wrapped an arm around Seifer's neck, his ice-cold glass pressed against exposed skin. "Then why we are still on the couch?"

A blond eyebrow arched high at the almost aggressive tone. "My, my. Don't tell me--"

Words were quickly silenced by the joining of lips, Seifer happily forgetting his taunt as the sweetly flavored tongue stroked hard against his. The kiss ended quickly, however, as the blond stood up from the couch and leaned over to take the smaller man into his arms. Attempting to be nonchalant about being carried to their bedroom, Squall slowly finished his drink and coyly refused to meet green eyes.

Grinning wide, Seifer kneeled on the mattress and laid out his merman with an experienced hand, stealing the empty glass from a limp hold and dropping it carelessly to the floor. There was a quiet murmur about making a mess, but Seifer easily ignored him while resuming their previous kiss. Unlike times before when he allowed Squall to hold in his moans for fear of waking someone too young to view such activities, the blond worked to drive the louder noises out of the typically stoic man. While he kissed hard and his hands journeyed to the more sensitive areas along the lean form, Seifer resisted a sharp cry of his own when ice-cold fingers snuck down his shirt collar and began to massage taunt muscles.

When it eventually became too warm for comfort, their barriers of clothes were quickly removed and tossed in various directions away from the bed. That done, Seifer immediately began to kiss down the center line of the lithe body, then settling at his favorite tease point where he nibbled at the rim of the bellybutton. Words unknown to the blond slipped from the merman's mouth as he panted with obvious need. Smirking at the other's lack of control, Seifer started to move lower to what he knew his lover wanted, but he was stopped by a suddenly painful pull of his hair as he was made to look up into deep blue eyes.

" _Aese, maie anleh. Ea niede ouve_."

Smirking, Seifer took the hand from his head and pulled it down to kiss the underside of the wrist. After releasing the hand, he rolled onto his side to then wet his fingers before pushing them into tight heat, trying to quickly prepare the opening for his ready erection. It was still strange to feel within that channel, though certainly not the surprise it was that first night. While the first inch or so was typical smoothness, just beyond that were some kind of villi, almost thin fingerlike projections which caressed and seemingly pulled as if to draw his fingers in deeper. Though a very odd feeling, the way they teased the slit of his penis when he was buried deep within the merman was a torturous and amazing sensation.

Squall suddenly pushed himself back, fingers easily slipping out of him as he glared at Seifer with the clear message that fingers weren't enough. His smile one of pure lust, the blond moved to his knees as he lifted slim legs to then position his hardened length at the prepared entrance. Squall moaned with a relief filled sigh at the first penetration, a breathy laugh leaving the blond man when he looked down at lovely creature who panted in pleasure. After adjusting to the feel within the merman, Seifer began a slow rhythm of thrusts that he knew would quicken despite his desire to be gentle with the smaller man.

As they moved together, slim arms soon encircled his neck and elegant legs tightened around his waist, Squall taking away the option of gentleness from Seifer as the brunet met each thrust with a hard counterthrust. In time the fast and sharp rhythm had taken complete control over their actions, any protest of their bodies forgotten under the need to reach for the final pleasure. As a brief warning, the unusual villi stiffened around his erection and added sudden pressure along the sensitized length, forcing Seifer's release at the same moment of the merman's ultimate orgasm.

Panting afterwards in the attempt to regain lost breath, the blond was mildly surprised to discover that Squall still had the energy to hold onto him tightly. Lowering such that the brunet's weight settled on the mattress without being smothered by his larger body, Seifer then tried to pry the legs from around his waist so that he could remove himself from Squall and more comfortably rest next to the merman. The lean legs only tightened at his touch.

" _Dhenaut laefen ea_ ," came a sudden whisper, Seifer freezing at the words.

"What does that mean?" he asked more harshly than he intended.

Squall didn't respond, only breathed deeply as he continued to cling onto the larger man.

During the brief silence, Seifer was unable to figure out why the words bothered him. "Tell me what it means."

"It's nothing--"

"Squall. Just tell me. Please."

"It means, 'Don't leave me'..." he replied softly.

An echo of the first words suddenly came to Seifer, except it was a much younger voice that spoke them within his mind. "That night when I left to become a mercenary... you... you wanted me to stay?" When there was no reply, he asked, "Why didn't you tell me? I mean, so that I'd actually understand?"

"... It wasn't my right to say such things."

Mixed emotions flooded Seifer as he sounded something between a laugh and an annoyed growl. "You hopeless idiot... Alright, that's it. You're going to start teaching me that language of yours tomorrow."

It took a moment before Squall laid back on the mattress to be able to meet the man's gaze. "What?"

"I don't want to miss anything else important from you. Think you could try teaching it to me again?"

Slowly, a weak smile formed. "You were a horrible student."

"Hey, you're teaching Dray just fine. Can't you just add me into those lessons?"

"He's more advanced than you," Squall stated as fact, suggesting more than the concept that Adryan had been already receiving lessons for the past few months.

"Fine, then lessons start now. How do I say that I'll never leave you?"

There was stunned silence before the whisper of, " _Ea nehaephre laefen ouve_."

"Um, e-ah ne-half leaf oven?"

Squall didn't bother to hold back any of his laughter, his whole body shaking in amusement beneath the larger man. Seifer was able to smile at his own humiliation if it meant such free laughter from the stoic merman, but then he was awkwardly reminded of the fact that he was still buried deep within the brunet.

"Uh, Squall..." Fingers pressed against his lips to silence him.

"Lesson two - _menegh_ means 'more'."

"Hmmm, I think I guessed that one weeks ago," Seifer said in a rough voice before stealing a kiss from smirking lips.

~ > < ~

Scratching wet hair while yawning wide, Seifer stumbled to the kitchen table where morning light beamed down on the most heavenly sight of a large mug filled to the brim with coffee, nice and black. It wasn't until about halfway through the cup when he noticed Squall sitting at the table. His lovely mouth also seemed to be moving in a manner that suggested speaking...

"What was that?"

Amused, Squall shook his head. "I said, 'would you like some breakfast?'."

"Oh. Food. Yeah, that'd be great," he said before returning his attention to the life giver that was caffeine.

Still standing with his mug in hand, Seifer vaguely noticed the brunet get up from his chair to retrieve something from the kitchen area, Squall eventually returning with a plate stacked with several thick pancakes. As the blond finished his coffee, the haze of green eyes slowly faded while he focused on the vision of the merman, a lovely image after such a long night. Seifer smirked when he received a glare for his intense staring, Squall then purposefully sitting with his back turned to the blond. Still smiling, he reached out to lightly massage the long neck, callused fingers brushing along the chain of the silver choker.

"That's odd..."

Squall's questioning hum was laced with a moan of pleasure.

"I always thought this symbol was black, but it actually looks dark blue in the right light."

Muscles instantly tensed under his hand. " _What?_ "

"Um, this symbol on your neck. I just noticed--"

Seifer was abruptly knocked back when, without a sign of warning, Squall stood up from his chair and ran straight for the backdoor. By the time the blond could focus on something beyond the burning spot of coffee on his shirt, he glanced up to see the brunet already running out of sight behind the slope of the small hill. After dazedly thinking that it was rather impressive for the merman to sprint with such speed, Seifer snapped fully awake with a loud curse and ran for the open doorway.

* * *

It wasn't until he ran into the waves that Squall remembered how the water of the ocean would no longer soothe his wounds, but instead aggravate them as salt and scrapping sand attacked the numerous deep scratches along his legs from a previous fall. But even that pain was minor to his need to reach the ocean, to reach his bearer.

" _Berenas!_ "

A small voice in his head scolded him for the cracked voice that sounded near sobbing, but Squall didn't care about his appearance to his bearer, someone who didn't believe in the masks of ice anyway.

" _Berenas...! **Berenas!** "_

And then he was prevented from going any further into the surf, a powerful force wrapping around him and keeping him in place.

"Squall--"

" **No!** Let go of me! _Berenas!_ "

"What are you _doing_? Do you want her to die for you?"

The sharp words somehow made their way beyond the panic, immediately ceasing the merman's struggles to free himself as he went limp in the strong arms.

"Shit, what's wrong with you?"

Staring vacantly into the waves that would flow as high as his chest, Squall spoke distractedly. "I've lied to you..."

Seifer was silent for several moments before pulling the limp body closer. "Let's get dry and warm. Then you'll talk."

The brunet vaguely shook his head. "I can't... anymore..."

"What, going to drown yourself, now? I don't think so. Even if you were stupid enough to do it, I wouldn't let you. Come on."

Squall let himself be taken back to shore, his rebellious feet stepping automatically as the large blond continued to press him forward. It was like a hazy memory from that point, Squall vaguely noticing as they eventually entered the house. Wet clothes were stripped from his body before he was forced into a warm shower. It was then a gentle but firm hand that dried him and tended to the cuts on his legs. It wasn't until the moment something hot was placed into his hands when he finally seemed to wake, finding himself sitting on the couch with new clothes on and a mug of hot chocolate cupped in his hands. After staring mystified at the steaming drink, he looked up to see Seifer sitting across from him on the sofa chair. The range of emotions within the vibrant green eyes was easily read by the merman, nearly undoing him, but he quickly changed his focus back to the swirling chocolate in hand to avoid those eyes.

"What did you lie to me about?"

His hold tightened around the mug. "I... I've let you assume things." Squall paused, almost hoping that Seifer would decide that he didn't want to know, but the rare patience that the man was showing proved otherwise. "When I've mentioned my father or bearer in the past, you have always assumed that they were the same person. They are not. _Berenas_ means 'bearer'."

"I don't understand. 'Berenas' is 'mother', right?"

Squall nodded.

"Wait, I thought the person you've been trying to contact, this bearer of yours... I thought she was male," Seifer said with a quiet, embarrassed laugh.

"He is."

There was a pause. "Okay, start from the beginning here, 'cause I'm beyond confused."

"In my race, the females, mermaids as you call them, are not fertile. None can bear children. Among the males, about half can produce viable seed, and of those remaining, around a third of them are able to carry children while the rest are infertile." Blue-gray slowly looked up to meet stunned green.

"So, two males... wow, okay. But why didn't you tell me before?"

Squall shrugged. "I did, but you were young and didn't understand, so I stopped bothering to correct you."

It was only a matter of time before Seifer abruptly stood up from his chair and stared down at the merman. "Wait a moment... which... are you?"

"... A bearer."

In a quiet voice, as if not really wanting to know the answer, Seifer asked, "And what does this have to do with earlier?"

"My symbol..." He couldn't continue to look at the man, instead directing his gaze to the safer sight of hot chocolate. "I'm pregnant. With your son if the symbol has truly turned blue."

It was dead silent after the announcement. Though tempted, Squall refrained from delving into the other's emotions to gain a hint of what the man was thinking. Focusing on the cooling drink, he sipped at the hot chocolate, barely tasting the sweet richness, but it did calm some of his unease. When Seifer finally broke free of his shocked state, the brunet refused to look up when the man stepped directly before him. A frustrated sigh sounded before the large man knelt down to meet Squall's gaze.

"Is it so terrible to bear my child?"

Stormy eyes flew wide at the question. " _No_. No, it's not... I didn't..." He bit his lower lip, for the first time truly realizing that it was Seifer's child within him, not just any child.

Though at first smiling in relief, the blond then frowned. "Why did you run then?"

"I shouldn't have been able to get pregnant. There's a potion we have to take. And truthfully, being pregnant isn't a... nice thing."

The man's frown deepened. "Can you die from this?"

"No, but some have been known to kill themselves to stop the pain. There are medicines to help, but there aren't many safe options that wouldn't harm the growing child. That is why bearers are rather spoiled - allowed to explore ships for fun, allowed to learn anything we wish..." Smiling weakly, he looked directly into worried green eyes. "...and allowed to be friends with a human child."

"If that's true, then why were you exiled?"

"I willingly gave my blood to a human."

"So? You've done the same for me several times over the years."

The merman shook his head. "This time I was seen. I was to be bonded when something felt wrong, dark. I left before the ceremony had started and hurried to the beach where I found you calling for me. My intended had followed and witnessed the offering of blood."

"Squall--"

"It was my choice. I knew he was watching and I made the decision to save Adryan. It had little to do with you."

A small laugh sounded. "Okay, I surrender. And I have to admit to being selfish since I got both Dray and you out of that event." Sighing, Seifer stood to sit next to the brunet and slip an arm around the lean waist. "So, you left someone at the altar for me?"

Frowning, Squall looked over at him. "It wasn't for you, and what does an altar have to do with anything?"

The blond only grinned foolishly with a strange glint to his eyes.

"... Are you really okay with this?"

"Truthfully, don't think I believe it. Not that I don't believe _you_ , of course, but hell, even with Fu, I didn't truly realize what I was getting myself into until she really started to show." Sudden deep laughter escaped the man. "A-ah, fuck. Selphie is going to go crazy about this. She always thought I need more children, though I think she just wants others to suffer having plenty of children. And Hyne knows she'll end up having more demons."

"They aren't--"

"Demons. The whole lot of them," he said with a wide smile.

Squall scowled. "Stop that."

"Hn? Stop what?"

"Tease me when... I'm scared," he admitted reluctantly, annoyed that the man could take all of this so lightly.

Sighing, Seifer held the merman tighter and rested his head on a shoulder. "And you don't think I am? Last time someone had my kid, she ran off. And the idea of you in more pain because of me certainly doesn't settle well, but no use worrying now about what will happen. We can only tackle everything as it comes."

Nodding slightly, Squall slowly finished off his warm drink as they slipped into comfortable silence, both men focused on their own thoughts about the coming months. The merman was still afraid despite the blond's strong presence. He figured that it was mostly because his first pregnancy wasn't supposed to have gone this way. He had always counted on his bearer and sire to be close by, one ready to comfort as only his bearer could, and the other ready to pommel his intended if he wasn't handling his responsibilities properly. While he had never said it in words, Squall cherished his parents for their constant love and support. But now their presence wouldn't be there for the hardest months of pregnancy, and Squall wasn't too certain if he could handle that.

~ > < ~

Something was being annoyingly loud and it took several moments for Squall to understand why it was so dark at the same time. When he was being moved away from comfortable warm, he whined and clung onto it tighter.

"Come on, lovely. I have to answer the door."

Eyes slowly opened to brightness. "Seifer?"

"You've been sleeping all morning and I still have the door to answer, so think you can wake up and move over a little bit?"

Squall frowned at the highly amused tone, and then sat up while stifling a yawn. "All morning?"

Standing, Seifer walked quickly around the couch towards the front door. "Yep. I think you exhausted yourself with all that running and stress. Hell, I needed that nap, too, so don't worry about it."

Rubbing his eyes, the brunet leaned back into the couch cushions and tried to keep renewed panic away. Their talk that morning seemed like a far away thing, almost like a dream that wasn't true. But placing a hand on his neck where the symbols of his status were etched into skin, he could feel the slight warming of the letters as they reacted to the changes within his body. It had already begun and there was no going back.

There was the sound of a door opening. "Well, hey, what are you doing here?"

"Adryan," called Selphie's voice with a scolding tone, that quickly followed by the padding of feet.

The young boy was soon standing in front of the seated merman and staring at him with wide hazel eyes. Or rather, he was staring at his midsection. Squall didn't speak as he vaguely heard Selphie apologizing in the background, his attention more focused on the blond-haired boy. Without looking away from that spot, Adryan stepped closer to pull himself up onto the couch next to the brunet and then place a small hand against the shirt covered area. The boy smiled softly before resting his head on the merman's chest.

"He's gonna be really strong, y'know. And protect me," the child said in a hushed voice.

Surprised, Squall wrapped an arm around Adryan's back and raked fingers through pale blond hair. "How do you know?"

"Dreamed it last night. Never dreamed of him before, but he was cool."

The brunet could feel the hopeful relief within the child's voice, something about the tone easing his own worries about the coming pregnancy. To dream of him, Adryan already seemed to hold a deep bond with the brother who was barely alive, that giving Squall something else to focus on beyond the inevitable pain.

"What's this about?"

At the voice, Squall looked up to find a young woman standing next to the couch, Selphie smiling wide with a satisfied gleam to her eyes which was always present when Adryan found comfort at his side. Uncertain how to answer her question, the merman remained silent.

"Oh, I hope you aren't upset that I ruined your fun with Seifer. As I just told him, our little angel here was determined to come back home. He didn't want to tell me why, though. Is everything okay?"

The sincere worry in her tone caught Squall a little off guard and he looked to Seifer with a questioning gaze of what he should say. The blond just smiled and raised an eyebrow in his own silent question. There was a moment of hesitation before Squall nodded.

"Alright," Seifer started while approaching the petite woman, her completely unintimidated by his height. "I want you to sit down and you aren't allowed to move from that chair until I say."

Her green eyes seem to glitter when she clasped her hands together. "O-oh, this must be good. What is it?"

"Nice try. Sit and stay seated, then we'll tell you."

Pouting, but her excitement obviously not damaged, Selphie took the seat across from Squall. "Should I bark now?"

"If the urge comes to you," Seifer said while moving to half-sit on the couch armrest next to the merman. After taking a deep breath, he said, "Alright, you already know about Squall, so there's nothing much more to explain except that their race is quite different from ours, but... well, Squall is pregnant."

It took a few seconds, but soon a cooing 'oh' escaped the woman, quickly followed by an angry 'oh' which confused the merman.

" _Seifer_ , how dare you make me sit here."

The blond man laughed. "And what, have you tackle Squall and squeeze the life out of him? I think not. You can sit there until you can contain yourself."

"You're so mean, telling me something like that and... o-o-oh, come here, Squall," she begged with arms held out wide.

Seifer leaned over and whispered, "I wouldn't if I were you."

Uncertain about the situation, the merman simply pulled Adryan a little closer and hoped the excuse that the boy was comfortable would help him escape the woman's order. The move made Seifer chuckle deeply while Selphie frowned in mock hurt.

"Fine, be that way." And then her bright smile flared back as she said, "This is so perfect. We'll have to go shopping immediately. I remember Seifer tossing out all of Adryan's old things when he thought he'd never love again and all of that nonsense. You'll need a crib, clothes, bottles--"

"Selph," Seifer interrupted with an amused and yet serious tone. "Thank you, but we have other things to worry about first. There's plenty of time to buy things, and trust me, you'll be in the loop. Just... Do you mind if it's just the family here tonight? I mean, if I let you get started--"

The petite woman waved her hand, her expression changing once more into something more motherly. "I understand. You both must have found this out recently considering that I saw you yesterday and you didn't mention a thing. And sorry, hon," she said eyeing Seifer, "but I know that you wouldn't have been able to hide a secret this big. Well, I take it that I'm free to move?"

At the blond's nod, Selphie immediately moved to place a gentle kiss on Squall's forehead. "Congratulations. And don't worry, Seifer is a natural when it comes to handling someone who is pregnant. Irvine worships the ground he walks on." Straightening, she then kissed the blond man's cheek and smiled warmly at him. "Come by whenever you're both ready for me. I'll resist harassing you, though I may call if you take _too_ long to keep me updated."

"Thanks, Selph. I appreciate it."

As the brown-haired woman let herself out with a call of "And be good to my angel!", Seifer sighed and placed a hand at the back of the merman's neck, fingers rubbing gently along colored skin.

"You okay?"

Blinking, Squall looked up into green eyes.

"You were getting rather pale while Selphie was going on. Sorry, I should've better prepared you for how excited she gets about things like this. Even Dray knows better than to mention something big to her, right kiddo?"

The boy nodded, though avoided his father's gaze.

"So, care to tell me how you found out?" Seifer asked, green eyes sharp on his son.

When Adryan remained silent while clutching the shirt beneath his hand, Squall asked softly, "May I tell him?"

The small body tensed, but he still nodded in a quick motion.

Looking up, the merman paused at the sight of intense green, the man obviously upset that he didn't know something about his own son while someone else was trusted with the secret. Despite the silent threat in those eyes, Squall smiled at the evidence of love and concern.

"There is power within your son, something that hasn't developed yet. One day it should mature into what the world needs, but for now, it merely plagues him with dreams of possibilities of what will be demanded of him."

Turning his attention to the child in the merman's hold, Seifer said, "The dreams... I thought you told me that they stopped, Dray."

"Sorry," the boy mumbled. "I didn't want to bother you no more."

"Stupid kid," he said before ruffling the pale blond hair. "So, these dreams are more than dreams?"

The merman nodded. "Not truly the future, but possibilities. And apparently our unborn one has made his appearance in those potential futures."

Adryan sat up at that, smiling slightly. "He gonna be strong like you, Papa. And he'll call me 'solas' and I'll call him 'haidras', and he'll always be there..."

Failing at a smile, Seifer leaned over to grab his son and lift him onto his lap. Hugging him tight, he whispered harshly, "Don't you dare hide things like that from me again. Maybe I can't do anything, but I want to know when something hurts my boy. Understood?"

"Un. Sorry, Papa."

Squall briefly smiled at the sight of father and son, then stood up from the couch. "I'm going to the pier. Alone," he added when Seifer looked about to stand.

Neither argued, though green eyes examined him intently before Seifer apparently decided that the merman wasn't about to do something stupid. Just as the father mentioned something about lunch to the young boy, Squall left through the backdoor at a rather languid pace compared to that morning. He walked slowly to the pier, letting vague memories of times with his own family come to mind as he stared at the hazy horizon of the ocean.

* * *

Bare feet sounding on wood, Seifer walked along the pier until he reached a silent figure who sat with his back against a thick post and a single leg hanging off the edge. Squall never turned at the blond's approach, almost as if he was afraid to move his eyes from the expanse of dark waters which could reveal his bearer at any moment. Leaning against the opposite post, Seifer glanced down at the moonlit face, then turned his gaze to the ocean as he pretended to not notice the tear stained cheeks.

"What are you expecting, Squall?"

"... ..."

"Alright, but don't blame him for following the rules. As you said, it was your choice to risk exile."

"... I know," he replied, the soft voice hoarser than Seifer could ever remember.

"Well, dinner is ready, and even if you aren't hungry, Dray is worried about you. Care to come back home?"

"Home?"

Seifer sighed. "Too pretentious of me?"

There wasn't a reply, the blond then looking back down at the merman who continued to stare at the ocean, but had moved his arm to rest over his stomach.

"Squall..."

"Tell me what to do."

With a shadow of a smile, Seifer moved from his spot to then sit behind the smaller man. Covering bare, chilled arms with his more muscular ones, he rested his chin on a shoulder and spoke softly, "You know I can't do that, but I'll always be here no matter what you may decide."

Neither talked after that, Squall leaning back against the warm chest while they sat in the darkened evening. Eventually the cold ocean wind became too much for the merman, his body shivering as he shifted back to steal more heat from the blond man. Laughing softly at the stubbornness of the brunet, Seifer pushed himself up from uncomfortably hard wood. Without a spoken word, he forced Squall onto his feet and led him away from the dark ocean and the world it hid out of reach.

{Continued}


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, lonesome. Have room there for two more?"

Smiling weakly, the seated brunet looked back at the father and son standing a respectful distance away from what Seifer had earlier determined as his personal space. A large hand sat heavily at the boy's shoulder, preventing Adryan from moving closer without permission. Seifer doubted the merman would truly mind if the young boy ran up without warning, but here at the pier, the blond found his lover more sensitive than anywhere else.

All it took was an offered hand and Adryan was immediately by the merman's side within a loose and yet protective hold. Grinning, Seifer moved to take his place behind the silent brunet, his arm naturally encircling the week-old life hidden within Squall.

"You missed breakfast. I thought I warned you about that."

Head bowed slightly, the merman apologized. "I haven't been hungry."

"Hn. I understand. Just..." Sighing, Seifer brushed his fingers through the thick locks. "Don't forget we're here for you, too."

After a moment of hesitation, Squall nodded. "Give me one last day?"

Laughing softly, the blond kissed the dark hair. "You don't have to give up on him, but sitting out here all day long won't ease your mind."

"I know, but..." With an annoyed huff, the merman leaned back against the large man. "He usually isn't this responsible."

Certainly not expecting that as a response, Seifer stared amusedly at the man in his hold but didn't ask for further explanation. He figured it made sense that Squall would only sit out here day after day if he believed his bearer would eventually show. Given the apparent strict rules of his people, Seifer wondered what type of person this bearer was if rules meant little to him.

" _Berenas_... What's that?" Adryan asked, pointing at the water.

Both men looked down into the low waves moving against the pier and there found a large strip of oddly colored seaweed floating along the surface, which wouldn't have been much of a surprise if it weren't for the small turtle helping to keep it afloat. Immediately the merman reached down to retrieve the purple and green strip of vegetation, Seifer holding tightly onto the brunet as he nearly fell into the surf. After only a brief look at the seaweed, Squall moved to stand up, but the blond still held on tight.

"Whoa, what's happening here?"

As if just remembering the presence of the others, Squall looked back with wide eyes at the man. "Seifer. The cavern that I took you to when we first met, where is it? Shouldn't it be close?"

Feeling confused by the sudden energy of the brunet, Seifer stalled before replying, "It's not far, but why ask that all of the sudden?"

Smiling relieved, the merman carefully removed himself from the man's hold to stand up and then reached down to take Adryan's hand in his. Leading the young boy off the pier, Squall didn't seem to notice that he had left Seifer behind. Smirking at the unusual state of his lover, the blond man stood and hurried with long strides to catch up to the other two.

"So, what's the deal?"

Fingering the seaweed in hand, Squall explained, "It's a message to go to the cavern. It's from my bearer."

Though afraid to hurt the merman's excitement, Seifer asked, "Are you certain it's him?"

"Unfortunately. He's the one to develop this silly code. No one uses seaweed like this," he said, trying to appear annoyed, but the light of his eyes clearly stated otherwise.

Deciding to just nod and not bother asking for details, Seifer led the small group to the cavern that he hadn't visited since his early youth. He remembered it being a dark and rather eerie place, especially for a small child who had heard plenty of stories about ghost pirates and sea monsters. By the time he had reached the age at which adventures were daily events, a fence was placed at the opening of the cavern to prevent exploration. Frowning, Seifer wondered if the fence was still firm in place.

After first climbing up the short cliff side, they crossed the lightly vegetated ground toward the other side where the height of the cliff once again lowered closer to the beach. Adyran was already tugging on the hand that held onto him, the boy finding excitement in the unplanned walk since he had never been in this direction before. There was really no reason to take him given the rocky beach and numerous hazards for the small boy.

By the time they reached the thin shoreline of more stone than sand, the fair-haired boy was riding on his father's back as the merman followed carefully behind. Eventually a rather narrow opening in the cliff side came into sight, a rusted fence just barely covering that entrance. It only took a few sharp kicks for the gate to fall flat to the ground. Leading the way, Seifer stepped carefully through the sloped passageway as he called back warnings to the brunet.

After long minutes in darkness, Seifer was curious when a soft light began to glow a short distance ahead. It took only one more turn before the passageway abruptly opened into a wide cavern in which a dark pool of sea water covered most of the area and a large glowing ball hung near the ceiling. While Seifer paused to the side of the entrance, Squall walked past him and stepped close to the water's edge where he frowned at the mirror-like surface.

Eyeing the unusual ball of energy, Seifer knelt down for his son to slide off his back to the ground, and then he stood back up to silently watch the pool of water. There was nothing for long quiet moments, but after the first ripple of water, Squall stepped quickly into the pool without care for his clothing as it reached his waist level. The sight of a long haired, lean man emerging from the water alarmed Seifer for the brief moment before he could see the warmth in the dark green eyes and the pained smile.

Squall got in a soft ' _berenas_ ' before he was wrapped tightly within wet arms. The brunet was hesitant in returning the hug, but Seifer recognized it as a normal reaction of his merman towards intimate contact. After that, melodic words passed between the two, but Seifer was unable to catch any of the few words he knew within the fast flow of their talk. Glancing down, he smiled at the sight of his son trying his hardest to understand the language, pale eyebrows furrowed in the deep concentration of a child.

There was a bare sign of moving water before another broke the surface. Seifer was partly awed by the larger size of the second merman and the numerous deep scars that lined across the visible body. Deep blue eyes glanced briefly at the blond before his attention turned to the exiled merman. There was a moment of odd tension until the large merman reached out and drew Squall close. The quiet ' _saer_ ' spoken by the slender brunet was said with part surprise, part relief.

It wasn't until after another string of the musical language, now joined by the deep baritone of the large merman, when Squall finally turned to the father and son standing silently near the entrance of the cavern. Seifer wasn't certain what he had expected his merman to look like after such a reunion with his bearer, but the continued neutrality of his expression somewhat surprised the blond. But with a closer look, he could recognize the slight differences in the vague curl of lips and bluer eyes, hopefully proofs of relief and happiness.

"Seifer. Adryan. These are my bearer and sire - Laguna and Chale."

Staring with wide eyes at the long-haired merman, Seifer asked, "Is this _the_ Laguna?"

The object of the question smiled broadly. "He spoken of I?"

"Plenty," the blond replied, various memories of stories filling his thoughts as he tried to place this feminine looking man into the lead role of several death-defying tales. Smiling vaguely, Seifer wondered how the hell this man was still alive. Then again, it explained Squall's annoyance that his bearer was being oddly responsible about not appearing sooner.

"This be happy. Ah, forgive I and bad _solas_ language."

Seifer shook his head. "It's fine. I understand you well enough."

A quiet huff sounded from the larger merman. "If you would stay in place for a lesson once and awhile..."

Curious, the blond looked at him. "You have a better understanding of our language?"

The deep blue eyes focused intently on Seifer, making the man feel a chill along his spine. "And who did you think taught Squall such that he could communicate with you?"

Truthfully, Seifer had never wondered about that, but with it pointed out, he realized that it should have been odd for the merman to know the language of the human race that his kind distrusted. But before the blond could ask how exactly Chale knew the language, Squall interrupted his thoughts.

" _Saer_ was cared for by a human in his youth."

Seifer nodded at the vague explanation, his interest already turning to more important matters about these two mermen, such as why they took so long to reach their son. But yet again, his thoughts were interrupted before he could voice them.

"You must bond," the large merman stated, his muscled arms crossed over his chest in a resolute stance.

"I refuse," Squall said before Seifer could ask what was meant by this 'bond'.

Surprise was clear on the face of the long-haired merman, Laguna then placing a gentle hand at the back of Squall's neck as he spoke softly at some length in their language.

"I know, _berenas_. I know all of that, but..." Looking to the blond man, Squall finished by saying, "None of this is Seifer's fault."

Eyes narrowed, Seifer focused on him. "Don't you dare try to take all of the blame. If Adryan wasn't right here, I'd remind you in plain detail just how you got pregnant. So stop being an ass and tell me what the hell this 'bond' is about."

After a stunned moment, Laguna chuckled quietly. "He best for you," he stated, tapping a finger on Squall's nose.

Scowling, Squall brushed away the hand. "They wish for us to 'bond', to join as life mates."

"You mean marriage?"

The exiled merman hesitated in thought before nodding.

Seifer smirked. "Well damn, if that's all it is, why refuse? I wasn't planning on getting rid of you anytime soon, so we might as well hook up."

Shaking his head, Squall looked conflicted with how to explain why bonding was a bad idea.

His smirk softening with amusement, the blond man placed a hand on his son's head and whispered for the boy to stay put on dry ground. Though wincing at the coldness of the water, Seifer stepped directly to his merman and placed a warm hand against cool skin to force eye contact. He stared deep into the pools of blue-gray, easily seeing the uncertainty that held Squall back, but the sharpness of desire was also there. Seifer resisted a sigh at the merman's continued inability to allow himself happiness.

"I know of your love for me. Maybe I can't match it, but I do care deeply for you. And now you are giving me another son... Face it, Squall, I'm not going to let you slip through my fingers a second time. Bond or not, I want you with me for as long as you can stand me."

An almost pained look crossed the attractive face before the merman leaned forward to press his body against the larger man. The fingers of his left hand intertwined with Seifer's right hand, Squall then moving their joined hands out from their bodies and down into the dark water that reached up to their elbows.

"Do it before I come to my senses," he said without looking at anyone.

"Uh, wait, what exactly happens here? What do I do?"

"Just be still," Squall said as the other two mermen slipped beneath the water's surface.

Though feeling nervous about the unknown situation, Seifer held back his questions in a sign of trust. Encircling his free arm around the slender waist, he placed his cheek against dark hair and smiled at the feel of softness. But the moment of pleasure was interrupted when there was a ticklish touch at his arm beneath the water, the sensation something like a string being wrapped around his wrist. Squall pressed tighter against him just as a faint melody began to vibrate within the cavern. There was the odd thought that his merman had a better voice before Seifer was overwhelmed by unexpected pain, his hand feeling on fire despite being immersed in cold water. But as quickly as it came, the agonizing sensation ended as a breeze of cool, healing energy passed over his arm.

After a few reviving breaths, Seifer asked, "What the _fuck_ was that?"

"Bonding."

After an irritated snort, the blond rested his chin on a shoulder while avoiding the urge to look down at what he knew should be a charcoaled hand. "You know, you aren't very helpful."

The reflective surface stirred next to them just before Laguna emerged from the water, his wide smile somewhat unnerving to the blond. Without asking, he grabbed the joined hands and lifted them out from the water before Seifer could think to protest about moving injured body parts. The sight of his undamaged hand further silenced him as his eyes wandered down to stare at the band of blackened skin around his wrist.

"Strong love give strong child," Laguna said in a hushed voice before kissing the marked wrists of the two men.

"Seifer..."

Reacting to the low voice, the blond pulled his eyes away from the dark bands to glance briefly at pale blue orbs before he was suddenly attacked by soft lips. His thoughts ran fast at the action, Seifer at first feeling surprised at his merman's unusual aggressiveness, and then he felt extremely pleased with himself as Squall hummed with passion into their kiss. But the building pressure of desire within the blond quickly turned into unease when Seifer remembered that they weren't alone at the moment. With more force than he thought would be necessary, he pushed Squall away.

Smirking down at the brunet, Seifer said, "Call me crazy, but I think I missed the 'you may now kiss the bride' part."

"Shut up," Squall ordered before lifting up for another kiss, teeth making their appearance as he bit gently into his lower lip.

After allowing himself a moan of pleasure, Seifer was once again forced to control himself and push the smaller man away. "Hyne, you have to stop that. We have an audience, you know."

The merman pouted, the typically reserved man apparently unbothered about being watched.

"Papa...?"

The sound of the young voice further cleared the haze of desire from Seifer's mind, the blond then moving carefully to the pool edge where Adryan reached out his arms in a sign to be carried. Holding the boy tight at his side, Seifer turned to take a few steps closer to Squall. The smaller man met them halfway, him focused on the blond child with the usual shine of fondness in his blue-gray eyes.

"Are you really my mommy now?" Adryan asked with obvious hope.

Smiling softly, Squall shook his head. "You only have one bearer."

"Oh. Okay. But you're still _berenas_ , right?"

"If that's your wish," the brunet replied.

" _Yeun_ ," a deep voice interrupted, Chale looking at his son with an apparently typical unreadable expression. "Let me examine you before we must leave."

Nodding, Squall moved to the large merman.

"This be golden child?"

His attention previously focused on the brunet, Seifer was startled by the questioning voice. "Uh, what? A 'golden child'?"

"This one," Laguna said with a soft smile as he brushed fingers carefully through Adryan's hair. "He hold golden light. Worth our loss."

"I... I'm sorry. If I had known..."

He shook his head. "Past be past. Together now."

Adryan shifted in his father's hold to look directly at the merman. "Don't take _berenas_. Please?"

Laguna smiled amused at the plea. "Squall stay."

Relieved, the boy returned the smile. "Thank you, _al-berenas_."

Dark green eyes widened before the merman tapped the small nose. "Good health, _leis-yeun_."

"Wait," Seifer said before Laguna could move away after the apparent parting words. "Where have you been?"

Amusement gone, the merman shook his head tiredly. "Squall tell. I hold bad language. Good health, _bhen-yeun_. Care Squall?"

After sparing a moment to figure out the meaning, Seifer replied, "Of course I'll take care of him. But I hope you're planning on a return trip."

"Squall tell," he said while treading backwards to where the larger merman was speaking to Squall.

With a sigh of frustration, Seifer hitched his son into a better carrying position before moving to the edge of pool. Sitting on the hard ground, they watched as the two mermen spoke quietly to their exiled son. His hand stroking lightly through pale strands of blond, Seifer tried to imagine losing his own son to someone of another race and world, but he couldn't begin to figure out what any of the mermen could be feeling. It didn't help that two of them held the same preference to hide emotions behind a neutral mask, Squall clearly adopting his firmer attitude from his father.

Moving his arm to wrap around Adryan, he leaned over to whisper into a small ear. "You know I love you, right kiddo?"

"Yeah," was the response as the boy leaned shyly against Seifer. "I love you, too, Papa."

* * *

Feeling warm and relaxed after his shower, Squall stared longingly at the large bed covered by a thick comforter. The sunlight from an open window spread temptingly across the mattress, the rectangle of light positioned perfectly for warming a body. However, he was reluctant to give into the urge for an afternoon nap, even if his body felt the exhaustion common during the early part of pregnancy.

"You might as well lie down."

Turning, Squall resisted a scowl in the blond's direction. "We have to talk."

With an amused smirk, Seifer stepped up to take a hand and pull the merman towards the mattress. "So? We'll talk while you lie down."

"I'm not tired."

"Uh huh. But doesn't the bed sound much better than the couch?"

"Adryan--"

"Has been fed and is currently playing in his room. He'll be good for hours."

"I don't want a nap."

"You won't fall asleep. Remember, we're going to talk," Seifer said, the teasing glint to his eyes not amusing Squall in the least.

Even so, the brunet surrendered to the larger man, Squall soon finding himself curled on top of the sun warmed bed with Seifer serving the role of his pillow. The merman realized instantly that it was a dangerously comfortable position, but he figured the blond would keep him awake with the numerous questions he should have. Sighing inwardly, he resigned himself to the fact that there was plenty to explain to his bonded, which meant he'd probably be talking for most of the afternoon.

"So..." Seifer began as he rubbed a hand along the brunet's back. "What took your parents so long to show up?"

" _Berenas_ wanted to come sooner, but _Saer_ had him under constant watch. Even had him locked within our home at times."

"You've got to be kidding me."

Squall smiled vaguely at the image of Laguna scowling when he had spoken of such treatment. "No. Apparently _Saer_ now has a few scars from when _Berenas_ tried to escape. While he was allowed some time near the shore to listen and watch over me, _Saer_ stopped him from doing something stupid. Rion, my intended, was watching them closely."

"Why?"

"Revenge." Staring at a faded scar on his forearm, Squall said, "I chose a human over him. He was shamed by that."

"And he wanted to get to you through punishing your parents? That's rather petty."

"He lost me and thus his future status of a _saer_ \- he has the right to be bitter. And when _Saer_ convinced the elders to let me spend my sentence here with you... Rion was furious." Despite himself, the merman smiled vaguely at his own words. He hadn't known until today that it was his sire and not his bearer who had fought to bring Squall to the shore where Seifer could easily find him. Being unconscious and bearing unhealed wounds from Rion's premature punishment had also earned sympathy from the elders.

"Still sounds like a fucking coward to me. So he lost you and wanted to catch your parents trying to contact an exiled merman, right? That still doesn't explain why they didn't try to speak with you, like with that dolphin months ago."

"Using animals to pass along messages was banned after Rinoa's stunt." Frowning slightly, he thought to himself about how his half-sister had still gotten in trouble for sending the message about their common bearer. While it technically wasn't direct contact with an exiled merman, it was implied that any kind of contact was forbidden.

"Okay... Then what about today? Seems like a lot of rule breaking was going on."

"Officially, yes, but unofficially the elders are very interested in a child born between our two races. They have agreed to help distract certain people while my parents can meet with me secretly."

"And if they're found out?"

"They will be exiled to separate lands and our child never mentioned again."

"Hn, they are risking a lot for you."

At the words, Squall felt guilty for his relief that his parents would be present during key points of the pregnancy and that his sire had promised to help with the birth process. He knew the cost was high for such aid, but he also knew the stubbornness of his parents and was shamefully relieved that he hadn't been able to talk any sense into them that morning.

"Squall. Look at me." When the order was followed, Seifer continued to say, "Don't blame yourself. You don't have your own kid yet, so you can't understand how a parent would do anything to ease the pain of his child. Truthfully, this makes me respect those parents of yours a lot more that they're finally doing something to help you out."

"There are rules..."

"And rules are made to be broken," the blond stated with a smirk.

Shaking his head, but unable to hold back an amused smile at the man's simplistic ideals, Squall returned to his previous position with his head resting on the broad chest.

Seifer sighed. "Alright, enough about that. Tell me what the hell I've gotten myself into with this bond thing."

Not answering directly, the merman moved his hand to lightly stroke the underside of Seifer's marked wrist. Through their link, he could feel the white heat of the man, a silent power that had been passed down to one son and most likely to the coming child. It would be a terrifying power to anyone else who could understand it, but Squall found comfort in sensing the chaotic energy.

His eyes not moving from the blackened skin, the merman spoke in a hushed voice. "I'm sorry for doubting your love."

"What, thought I didn't want you after all?" Seifer asked, humor clear in his tone.

"No, I knew... I hoped that you truly cared for me, that it wasn't pity, but I have done nothing to deserve this."

"And just what don't you deserve?"

"The mark of the bond is reflective of our desire and our need to be with one another. I've never seen markings so dark..." Squall fell silent as he thought about just before their bonding, the moment when he was certain that he would find out how much less Seifer truly wanted him. To witness the equally dark band on the man's wrist proved his strong love. Smiling vaguely, Squall decided he should have realized that the blond only does things in extremes. "But that marking is just a sign of the active bond. Its actual purpose is to help a bearer throughout a pregnancy."

"How would something like this help you? I already promised to stay with you no matter what."

"The bond doesn't force you to stay near me. It only links us, making us more aware of each other." Sighing, the merman removed his hand from Seifer's wrist and shifted his position to better hide his face and thus any unintentional signs of emotion. "There are basically three parts of our pregnancy. The first few months are the easiest when the growing child will only take away some of my strength. After that, it will become more uncomfortable as my body will be forced to adjust for his size and movements. But that is also when my mind should be affected by the unusual chemicals produced during pregnancy. I only know what _Berenas_ has told me about it, that at the worst times it will feel like I'm lost in the darkest of oceans and only the whisper of my bonded will be able to guide me through such periods."

"And the last part," Seifer prompted after a moment of silence.

"It is the shortest part in which my body will ready for birth," Squall said, proud to repress a shiver at the thought. Too many times he had witnessed the final weeks of his bearer's pregnancies, that being the only situation during which Laguna couldn't manage a smile.

The blond sighed loudly. "You know, bringing a child into the world should be a lot easier than that."

Squall shrugged. "There are legends about us upsetting a god who then cursed us."

"Hn, sounds like something Hyne would love to do," he muttered before carefully pushing Squall onto his side and then pulling him up into a tight hold. "For the record, I know you're keeping things from me, but that's okay. I'll drag everything out of you sooner or later. All I care about right now is that you know I'm here to protect you, to serve you, and to do whatever else I can to make this easier. But that means you have to abuse your power over me, got it?"

There was a stunned moment before Squall could push away the desperate need from the bond that clouded his mind. "Yes, _maie anleh_."

"Good."

After long moments of silence in during which his eyelids were beginning to feel heavier, the merman tried to shift out of the hold, but found himself thoroughly trapped. The brief struggle was then followed by Seifer moving his leg to entangle with the brunet's leaner legs, further entrapping him. Squall was certain he could feel the blond smirking at his victory of pinning him to the bed.

"Seifer, let go of me."

"I will." He faked a yawn. "But after my nap."

"I'm not tired and I will not be babied like this."

"You are and you will. Go ahead and get some rest. It may be a long night for our honeymoon.

Frowning, Squall tried to look up at the blond. "Honeymoon?"

Seifer chuckled at the questioning tone. "Later. Sleep first."

Easily recognizing the suggestive laugh, the merman found himself without the urge to continue the argument to get himself out of an afternoon nap. Closing his eyes and relaxing into the warm hold of his bonded, Squall easily pushed away the nagging thought that he was letting himself be handle by the blond, and soon feel into a light sleep.

~ > < ~

Running a hand through wet hair, Squall walked with an insignificant limp as he went to the front door. Just before reaching the entrance, there was a second string of knocks from outside. Eyes narrowed in thought, the merman tried to figure out who could be visiting at this time in the early evening. Adryan was away at the Kinneas home for the next couple days, and Selphie would be more likely to call than to just show up if anything was wrong. But he didn't waste too much time on thought and opened the door, his body freezing at the revealed sight.

The white-haired woman standing on the porch looked equally surprised, then managing, "Seifer? Here?"

Seeing Seifer’s intended and knowing there was only one painful decision to make, Squall stepped aside so that the smaller woman could enter. "He's getting cleaned up and should only be a moment."

Nodding her understanding, she then touched the band of her eye patch in a nervous motion. "You are?"

"I… I was leaving. Tell Seifer 'thank you' for me."

Her single red eye narrowed in confusion, but Squall didn't stay long enough for her to question him. He realized it was probably wrong to leave so suddenly without a parting word, but he couldn't manage logical thought with the image of Seifer’s true intended burned into his memory. All he could imagine was Seifer telling him that it would be wrong for Squall to stay with the woman's return. Resisting tears of weakness, he silently reminded himself that he always knew of the possibility that Seifer's intended and Adryan's mother would return someday. It was never his right to try and replace her.

With no other plan, Squall walked to the only other place he knew that would temporarily house him until he could figure out where else he could go. With every step he was reminded of how the afternoon had been spent, and a tight smile appeared on his face when he thought about how his bearer never mentioned the second reason why his kind get so tired during the first months of pregnancy. Remembering his bearer and situation, Squall realized that he'd have to get word to his parents somehow, to find a different meeting point. Just the day previous, his sire declared everything normal for the third month point, and so they wouldn't be back for another few months. There was time to decide things.

The sun was near setting by the time the merman walked into the small town he knew well by this point. Arms wrapped tightly around his midsection, he tried to ignore the increasing chill of his body. Tears threatened once more when he realized that it'd be harder to get sleep that night without Seifer's body to keep him warm.

"Squall?"

Blinking, the brunet looked up from the ground to see Selphie quickly approaching him, her eyes filled with worry instead of her typical energy. Before he could find it within him to speak, the young woman had an arm wrapped around him and led him forward to the nearby house.

"It's okay. We'll just sit you down and then I'll make up some hot chocolate."

Squall didn't even bother to nod and simply let the motherly woman guide him inside the building where a small figure instantly attached itself to a leg.

"Oh, Laney, honey, I've told you not to do that. Come on," she said, lifting the young girl into her arms. "How about you leave Squall alone for now and I'll treat you to a cookie. Hmm?"

The girl pouted. "I want 'Quall."

"Laney--"

Squall interrupted her and reached for the young girl. "I don't mind."

Though at first reluctant, the mother handed over her child with a sigh. "You let these little monsters get away with too much."

Smiling vaguely, the merman moved to the couch and sat back against the plush cushions with Laney at his side.

While working in the kitchen, Selphie talked to the seated brunet. "Irvine and the boys are out back playing some game to destroy the new clothes I just bought them. They should be in soon enough, but don't let them near you until I get the chance to clean them up. I think I heard something about a water fight earlier and that means Irvine probably had the hose on them. I swear, it's like I have three boys and not two."

Squall didn't offer any type of reply to the woman's talk as he watched Laney examine the dark skin encircling his wrist. She seemed determined that there was a way to remove the band.

" _Berenas_...?"

The merman looked up at the questioning voice and found Adryan walking towards him, the hazel eyes oddly intense in their worry. Despite the plenitude of mud and dirt covering the child, Squall reached out to cup his hand around a cheek. Squall knew he should tell the boy that he shouldn't think of him as a mother anymore, that his true mother had returned, but the words refused to form and his mouth stayed shut.

Hazel eyes widened slightly before Adryan grabbed the arm and hugged onto it. "Don't go."

Squall looked away from the accusing eyes, but still he couldn't find his voice.

"Don't go. Don't leave Papa and me. Don't take _haidras_ away."

Forcing a smile, the merman said, "Your brother will always be there for you." He knew how important the unborn child was to Adryan, that his dreams had become less bothersome with the appearance of a guardian to protect him. And yet there were also the dreams in which he would witness his brother's death, those leaving the boy shaking and crying for hours.

The blond child shook his head. "You, too. I want you, too."

Squall took a deep breath to calm his traitorous emotions, and then opened his mouth to speak to the boy. But he was quickly interrupted when a door slammed open. Turning quickly at the loud sound, the merman stared wide eyed at the sight of Seifer leaning against the doorframe while taking deep, ragged breaths. After wiping the sheen of sweat from his face with his shirt, the man then straightened to his full height and glared at Squall with burning green eyes.

After a tense moment of silence, Selphie cleared her throat. "The hot chocolate is on the stove, so don't let it burn. Come on, sweeties. Let's go see what everyone else is up to," she said while picking up the young girl and then taking a hold of one of Adryan's hands.

Once alone, Seifer moved from his position at the door and walked to the kitchen instead of the couch. His back turned to Squall, he spoke in a low voice. "Were you ever going to tell me why you decided to leave?"

Returning to his previous position on the couch, Squall bowed his head. "Your intended returned to you. And I... I didn't want to hear from you that I must leave," he admitted.

"Why the hell would I say anything like that?"

"You should. I don't want you in trouble because of me."

There was no response for a time, the silence then disturbed by the sounds of Seifer moving things in the kitchen. Shortly after, the large man stepped over to the couch and sat next to Squall while holding out a steaming mug of dark chocolate. The merman tried to thank him, but his throat felt tight and his voice wouldn't sound. Instead, he held onto the cup with both hands and wished he could pull in the heat further within his chilled body.

Suddenly a warm hand was at his cheek, forcing him to look up at Seifer. The heated anger of before had vanished from the green eyes, now replaced with something closer to amusement. But before he could further examine the expression, Seifer leaned in to lightly press chapped lips against his, the chaste kiss quickly turning into something deeper as Squall drew in the heated breath of his bonded.

When the kiss broke off, Seifer leaned against the merman and laughed deeply. "You're such a fucking pain in the ass."

Squall frowned at the comment but said nothing.

"Haven't you realized yet that we humans don't work like you? We don't have arranged marriages, or at least most of us don't. Fujin was never my intended. Fuck, she wasn't even my wife. We were going to get married once everything with Dray had settled, but she left me before that."

Eyes widening, the brunet asked, "Then, you aren't breaking your laws?"

Again he laughed. "No. And even if I were, I wouldn't give a shit."

Pushing aside rising hope, Squall clutched at his mug. "But, this woman... you were happy with her. And Adryan deserves his mother."

At that, Seifer sighed and leaned back against the couch. "I was happy, but I don't think it would've lasted. We were both young. Since then, Fujin had returned to the mercenary group. Coming back today seemed like a random decision on her part. She wants to try us again, but I don't think she really knows what she wants... Squall, did you tell Dray that she came?"

He shook his head.

"Hn. For the better that way, I guess. She didn't want to see him. Her own freaking kid and... She knew he wouldn't be there today. Selphie always takes him at the end of the month, and she was counting on that." Chuckling without humor, Seifer placed a hand on his face. "I can't believe I'm going to say this, but she's too immature for me anymore. Fu just wants back what we had - some good fucks in between some good fights. But I need more than that." Removing his hand, he glanced at Squall and smiled. "I need you."

The merman closed his eyes, memories briefly going back to the day years ago when he first set eyes on Seifer after the long period of absence. He had been overwhelmed with emotions at the sight of the matured human, the blond appearing far stronger and more confident than in his youth. Squall had the sudden desire to be near him, to hear his voice once more, but at that moment, Seifer had turned and held out a hand to someone the merman hadn't notice. Seeing the obviously pregnant woman had crushed the hopes he never realized he had in connection with the man. And now, to hear that he was being chosen over the woman who had brought such clear joy to him...

"I didn't want to leave," Squall whispered.

Fingers brushed along his cheek and then raked back into his hair. "Do me a favor next time and talk to me before you decide to walk out? I ran those two miles here, and I'm not a young man anymore."

Smiling, the brunet opened his eyes to look at him. "You didn't say that this morning."

"Hmm, you just make me feel young." He then frowned, moving his hand to the back of Squall's neck. "You're cold to the touch. Are you feeling okay?"

After a nod, the merman sipped at the somewhat cooled drink and savored the warm richness as it further calmed his nerves.

"Alright, finish that while I go find a blanket. It's getting dark out, so we might as well stay for the night. Selphie certainly won't mind."

It didn't take long for Seifer to return from a bedroom, then placing the fetched blanket around narrow shoulders. The man then knelt down before the seated brunet and placed his hands along the thickened waistline. Eyes closing in pleasure at the touch of his bonded, Squall spread his legs so that Seifer could move closer and lightly kiss the hidden life within him. The blond then wrapped his arms around Squall and rested his head on the merman's midsection.

"Don't leave me again."

"I won't, _maie anleh_."

 

{Continued}


	5. Chapter 5

Stifling a yawn, Seifer opened the front door and stared out at the sight of a smiling woman dressed in a bright yellow jacket. Dazed green eyes eventually cleared and the blond man frowned at the unexpected appearance of the petite brunette.

"Selphie. What the hell are you doing here?"

"I haven't heard from you in weeks and that's all I get? You are no gentleman, Mr. Seifer Almasy." Passing by the large man as if she had been invited inside, Selphie scanned the living room while removing her light jacket. "Where are my angels?"

His frown disappearing with a sigh, Seifer closed the door. "They're both asleep in my room. Just like I was," he added with an irritated mumble.

"Oh, I'm sorry, but it's only eleven in the morning. Why would you be taking a nap already?"

Shaking his head in a sign that he didn't want to explain, the blond then asked, "But back to my question - what the hell are you doing here?"

"You know, normal people do like to drop by on occasion and see if their friends are alive. Especially since you've been too bothered to pick up the phone and check in with me."

Rubbing his hand over tired eyes, Seifer relented and waved the small woman to the sofa chair before he stepped over to the kitchen. "I need coffee. You want any?"

"You know how I like it."

While heating some water, the blond said, "You should have just called, Selph. It's not a good time to visit."

The woman huffed. "And you said that the last time I called. Really, I think I can handle the sight of a pregnant man."

"It's not that. I told you--"

"I know, I know. 'It's complicated,' or so you say. Well, I'm here now and I don't have three small children and one big child trying to get my attention, so _talk_."

Seifer didn't speak for the entire time it took him to make the two large mugs of coffee, one containing a touch of chocolate. Even after handing Selphie her drink, he merely sat on the adjacent couch and gingerly sipped at the steaming liquid. The brunette didn't prod the man any further as she sipped from her own cup, but from her posture, Seifer knew the woman wasn't going to leave the house until everything was explained in detail. It didn't help that raising her three demons gave Selphie long lasting patience - she could probably sit there happily for days, if that was what it would take. And thus, Seifer came to the decision to surrender early.

"Squall isn't exactly... well. And before you ask, both he and the baby are doing just fine, but the pregnancy has affected his connection with reality."

Frowning in worry, Selphie asked, "How exactly is that being 'fine'?"

"According to his parents, it's perfectly normal. It has something to do with the chemicals produced within his body during the pregnancy at this stage. But knowing that doesn't make it any easier."

"What do you mean?"

But Seifer barely heard the question, his attention immediately turning to the slow opening of the bedroom door. Seeing the man of messed hair shyly peak out into the hallway, Seifer quickly set down his mug and stood up to approach Squall.

"Hey, love. What do you need?"

Blue-gray eyes brightened at the sight of the large man. " _Maie anleh. Ea ungrig."_

"Hn, probably because you missed breakfast. What do you want?"

" _Anuel meanu... ehe arhin'as setu, efu ouve odle unput._ "

"Whatever you desire," Seifer said as he wrapped an arm around the wider merman and gently kissed him. "Why don't you sit down while I get your food?"

Squall frowned as he glanced downward. " _Ea phet?_ "

"No, you're pregnant. Remember?"

Gently rubbing the large mound of stomach, the merman then asked in a meek voice, " _Ouvaie?_ "

Seifer hummed the affirmative as he placed his hand on top of Squall's. "Yep, all my fault."

That earned the man a rare wide smile. " _Liesid Enutpen._ "

Smiling in return, Seifer carefully lead the merman to the couch and helped him to sit down. Upon turning, he stared into deep green eyes that were both glittering with pleasure and soft with concern. The blond was quick to shake his head at the woman and held up his finger in a sign to stay silent. While Selphie was obviously unhappy with the order, she nodded her head in agreement. As she studied the merman, Seifer stepped into the kitchen to make the dish of raw lobster and shark meat that was requested. Eventually he handed the dark-haired man his meal and sat at his side with an arm wrapped around his expanded waist.

"Squall, Selphie is here to visit."

While chewing on a large piece of fresh meat, the merman stared at Seifer in question.

Sighing with a shake of his head, the blond said, "Forget it. Just enjoy your meal and ignore what I'm saying."

As if it were a common request, Squall nodded and leaned comfortably against the large man as he ate his lunch.

Meanwhile, Seifer turned to the confused woman. "Sorry, Selph. Like I said, he doesn't really connect with this reality. He only recognizes me because of our bond."

"It's okay, just, is he bothered by me being here?"

"Nah. You could kick and scream, and he'd never notice you," he replied in a bitter tone.

Selphie cocked her head in a curious manner before her eyes widened in understanding. "Oh, no. Poor Adryan. How is he handling this?"

"Not well. He tells me that he can handle this, but I'm not blind. It fucking kills him. You should see his face when Squall walks past him without even a glance in his direction. It's like he lost another mother."

"That's horrible. Why haven't you sent him my way? You know I wouldn't mind watching over the angel for as long as you need."

"I know, but Dray doesn't want to leave. I think he's afraid that Squall will walk off in this condition and never come back."

Biting her lip with indecision, Selphie eventually said, "He has walked away once before, Seifer."

To that, the large man frowned. "Squall didn't want to leave, but in his way of thinking, he did it to save my life. So don't you dare speak lowly of him."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize... but how does something like that save your life?"

"It doesn't, but he didn't know that. He thought..." Seifer took a breath and held the merman closer. "His society is very strict about who can have children. It's this huge deal which involves figuring out the best possible pairing for healthy and strong kids. Because of this, Squall had his 'intended', this bastard he was supposed to bond with and then bear his children. I won't bother with details, but Squall thought that we had a similar system in which Fujin was my intended. In short, it was a crime for me to impregnate someone else when I already had Fujin."

Selphie interrupted to ask, "But, he knew about Fujin beforehand, didn't he?"

The blond nodded. "Yeah, but he thought she was dead or missing. Either way, I would have some right to have another 'intended'. But since she returned, I supposedly had to immediately take her back in and break any new bonds I had made. Thinking that was the case, Squall decided to leave before I had to tell him to leave, or else I would subject myself to a potential death sentence. In other words, it's a load of shit that I would've never agreed to."

Smiling relieved, Selphie relaxed in her chair. "You know, I've been so worried to ask you about that day. I thought there was some kind of conflict between you two or something. So everything is better now?"

Seifer shrugged. "I think I convinced him to talk to me before assuming something like that again, but half the time I haven't a clue about what's going on in his head."

" _Maie anleh,"_ Squall said abruptly as he rested his head on the broad chest. " _Ea hain. Aese, ault maie hain._ "

"Shhh, I know. I'll give you the potion in a little bit, but you can't take it before then."

With a soft smile, Selphie asked, "What is he saying?"

"It's nothing serious. He's just sore and wants a potion for it, but he can't have it too often. Bad for the baby and all."

"Poor thing, but I was actually curious about that first part."

"Oh. That." Seifer smiled fondly. "It means, 'my only.' Can you believe that he has been calling me that since our first night together?"

"You silly man, he has probably been calling you that since you were children." Setting down her mug, Selphie stood and put on her jacket. "Well, now that I know you are alive and well, I had better leave. Say 'hello' to Adryan for me. And Seifer, call me if it gets to be too much. I can be a good listener at times."

"Thanks, but it's okay. This should only last a couple more weeks, if that," he said, running his hand through thick dark hair in a massaging motion.

Selphie eyed the two men for a brief moment before stepping to the front door. "Don't worry about getting up - I can show myself out. And I hope to hear better news from you soon."

As the door shut behind the woman, Seifer mumbled softly, "I hope so, too."

* * *

Squall woke up into darkness, his stormy eyes reluctant to focus in the room lit only by moonlight filtered through the curtains. Feeling confused and disoriented, the merman attempted to sit up, but he was bewildered by the extra amount of effort it took to move his body. Then he abruptly remembered his situation. Finally managing to sit upright, he placed a shaky hand on his incredibly large stomach and tried to estimate how far along he was.

"N-nh, _ouve niede unputene_?" a deep voice mumbled sleepily from his side.

Squall jumped at the voice and stared down at the man who still appeared asleep. "When did you learn that?"

Seifer frowned before looking up with blurry eyes. "Hn?"

"When... how did you learn my language?"

After a long pause, the green eyes seem to clear in an instant before Squall was entrapped in an almost painful hold. "Thank Hyne. I was going fucking insane."

Overwhelmed by the emotions flowing out of his bonded, the merman couldn't even return the strong hug. But eventually he was able to ask, "How long was I lost?"

"Forever," was the immediate reply.

"Seifer, be serious."

"What makes you think that I'm not?" the blond asked before pulling back to look into the blue-gray eyes. "It's been over two months since you started fading out on me. That means you're well into the seventh month of carrying this demon around," he added while fondly stroking the pregnant stomach.

Squall was amazed by the amount of time lost to him, never before understanding what his bearer had warned him about numerous times. And yet within that vague sense of missing time, there wasn't any fear or distress. There was only the knowledge that he had been protected and loved.

"Before you ask, everything is fine. You had your checkup with _bhen-saer_ ," Seifer cleared his throat, "I mean, with Chale the other week, and he said that everything was going well. He's been worried about you carrying the extra weight, being out of the water and all, but your body is handling that just fine."

Squall blinked. " _'Bhen-saer'?_ You call him that?"

With an embarrassed grin, the blond said, "Laguna is very persistent about me thinking of them as my bonded parents, and if I want them to teach me more of your language, I have to call them _bhen-berenas_ and _bhen-saer_. Since you only spoke in your language for the past several weeks, I needed the crash course ASAP."

Smiling softly, the merman was relieved that his parents had already accepted his odd choice in bond-mate. But the smile was short-lived when a sense of dread coursed through his body. Looking at the closed door, Squall suddenly realized the original reason for him waking at such a late hour. Pulling out of Seifer's hold, he pushed himself out of the bed and took a few stumbling steps before he was able to regain his balance. Not paying attention to Seifer's questions, Squall hurried out of the room and stepped to the door across the hall.

Upon opening the door, a soft sniffle was easily heard in the dark room. Squall turned on the lamp, startling the young boy who then looked up at the merman with wide hazel eyes. Not bothering with words, the pregnant man sat carefully on the small bed and leaned forward to take Adryan into his arms. Once shock left the boy, he wrapped his small arms tightly around the man's neck and sobbed out a mantra of ' _berenas_ '. Squall didn't try to quiet the boy, knowing that the youth needed to release the pent-up sadness, anger, and worry.

Eventually Adryan wore himself out completely, falling asleep while still holding onto the merman with a determined grip. With practiced care, Squall pried the boy loose and gently laid him back onto the mattress. A firm hand was then at his shoulder, and he looked up into warm green eyes. Seifer offered him a hand, soon helping the unsteady man to his feet. Just outside of the once again darkened room, Squall was pressed back against the wall as the larger man bent over him.

"He missed you."

With no comment to offer, Squall nodded his understanding of Adryan's obvious pain.

"I missed you." Once stated, Seifer leaned in to lightly kiss lips parted in mid-apology. "And we are never going to go through this again."

Stormy eyes widened at the demand, and then narrowed in thought. While Squall enjoyed children, he certainly could do without suffering through the pregnancy aspect. But to declare that he would have only the one child, it would go against his upbringing and demands in life.

As if reading his thoughts, the blond said, "I spoke to your parents about this, and they reluctantly agree. There's no guarantee that they could help us any other time, and I know that I can't do this without them. Shit, there are still a couple of things you eat that I can't figure out what they are. And with you being on land instead of water, it's a larger burden on your body." Sighing, Seifer placed a calloused hand against the brunet's cheek and stroked carefully with his thumb. "I know you think you should have numerous children, but you aren't trying to maintain the _haidras_ population anymore. You are with me, and I don't like you in pain."

"I can handle it."

Seifer scoffed. "I'm telling you that _I'm_ the one who can't handle it."

"But... we don't even know how I was impregnated."

"No, we do. Rather, Chale and I figured it out. The main ingredient of your potions for impregnation is alcohol, which may be rare for your kind, but is a relatively normal drink for us humans. It's also part of the reason why you're always more... receptive whenever you have even a sip of wine. But it took the larger dose of alcohol in that pina colada to equal the amount in your potions. In other words, if we avoid alcohol, you shouldn't get pregnant."

"I can't..." Squall hesitated while stroking his heavy stomach. "Let me think about this. I only woke a short while ago."

"No matter what you decide, I'm not going to help you get pregnant a second time."

Blue-gray eyes gained an icy edge as Squall leaned forward to stare directly into green eyes. "I was born for the purpose of bringing new life into the world. That is what I know and I can't believe otherwise without time to think it through." Lifting a hand to run his fingers through short golden hair, he added, "And if I want more of your children, I will have more of your children."

Surprise was clear in the green depths. "Squall..."

"Let me think this through and consult _berenas_. But for now, I really need to piss and then I want to go back to bed."

With a resigned shake of his head, Seifer said, "Yes, love. Whatever you say."

"That's better," Squall stated before pushing away the man who was blocking the most direct route to the bathroom.

~ > < ~

It was a relatively peaceful morning with the winds stronger than normal as they made the house creak and whisper. Standing in front of the large window that gave the best view of the ocean, Squall rubbed his ever-expanding stomach with a vaguely shaky hand. The strong life within him was obvious, the child rather restless and constantly moving, especially when his father was nearby. And yet, Squall knew there was something wrong and he wasn't certain about what to do.

"Hey, what's the deal giving me this headache?"

Closing his eyes, Squall tried to find comfort in his bonded's voice, but the anxiousness building inside of him still refused to disappear. And so he turned his focus to containing his unease such that Seifer wouldn't suffer from it over their connection.

While yawning loudly, Seifer moved from their shared bedroom and walked over to the kitchen. "I won't bother to ask if that little demon spawn woke you. So, you hungry for breakfast?"

Though knowing that it would be a clear sign about his mood, the merman replied, "Some hot chocolate would be nice."

Seifer hummed at the request, but said nothing as he went straight to the task of making the warm drink. Once he finished with pouring both the cup of hot chocolate and his own large mug of black coffee, the large man stepped over to Squall's side. After giving the merman his drink, Seifer set his mug on the kitchen table before wrapping his arms around the pregnant man.

"Are you going to tell me what's bugging you, or do we play twenty questions?"

Squall sipped at the warm liquid before leaning back. "I think something is wrong."

The strong arms squeezed tighter. "Care to be a little more specific? Is the little guy okay? Are you in pain?"

Squall smiled weakly at the rapid questions. "That is the problem - there's no pain."

"... And that's a bad thing?"

"The birth date is nearing, which means my body should be readying itself. But I feel nothing."

After several moments spent in thought, Seifer asked, "Maybe your initial transformation is making things easier?"

Squall shook his head. "I can't see how. The birth canal still must form, and my milk sacks should be filling."

"Uh, milk sacks...?"

"How else do you suggest I feed our son?" the merman asked before drinking some of the cooled hot chocolate.

"I hadn't thought about it," Seifer mumbled as one of his hands drifted up. "Where exactly are they?"

"Somewhere within my chest. They won't become visible like your _solas_ females, but it should be uncomfortable until I can get accustomed to the different feel."

A calloused hand gently brushed aside longish hair as Seifer kissed the dark blue mark on the exposed neck. "And you feel nothing?"

Squall frowned in thought. "Sometimes I wake up sore or I feel a cramp, but the mild pain always vanishes. Something must be wrong."

Sighing, the blond retreated a few steps. "I hate this, but I can't think of anything we can do except wait for your parents' visit in a few days."

The merman nodded, already coming to that conclusion before the large man had awakened, but by no means did it mean that he was comfortable with the decision. Every minute was important for the growing child, and even a small complication could risk the babe's life.

After taking a deep drink of his coffee, Seifer asked, "Now, about breakfast."

Knowing that it was useless to argue, Squall said, "Toast and jam will be fine."

"Hn, alright, but I expect you to eat a large lunch later," the blond muttered while moving to the kitchen, his coffee mug held in a tight grip.

Meanwhile, the merman walked with awkward steps to the comfort of the couch. After managing to sit without spilling his drink, he leaned into the large pillows and sighed at the relieved pressure from his back. The hot chocolate didn't last much longer, the dark liquid reaching the perfect temperature such that it didn't burn his mouth, and eventually he set the empty mug on the end table. Turning like that, Squall winced at a sudden cramp and tried to breathe through the sharp pain that seemed to have no intention in fading.

" _Berenas..._? _"_

Trying to hide any signs of discomfort, Squall looked over at the sleepy voice and smiled vaguely at the boy whose pale blond hair was sticking out in all directions due to static. "Did we wake you, _yeun_?"

Adryan frowned as if offended and walked to the couch with his favored blanket trailing behind him on the floor. With some effort, he climbed onto the couch and promptly found a position half-wrapped around Squall's swollen stomach. Soon hazel eyes closed as the young boy looked about ready to fall back asleep.

With a vague attempt to calm the bed-messed hair, Squall stroke the boy's head as he willed his body to relax. Fortunately, the pain in his midsection slowly ebbed away to a barely felt soreness and Squall sighed in relief.

"Hey, what are you doing up, kid?" Seifer asked with a grin as he walked towards the couch, a refreshed mug of coffee in one hand and a small plate of toast in the other.

Adryan grumbled a complaint while shifting closer to the merman.

"Gee, love you, too, you brat." He handed Squall his breakfast before sitting next to the blond boy. "So what do you want for breakfast, Dray?"

The boy vaguely shook his head.

Green eyes narrowed in concern as a large hand felt his son's face. "Hey, you feeling okay?"

At the man's question, Squall suddenly realized that Adryan had been less than active over the past week. And while he couldn't be certain, the boy didn't seem to eat very well, either. The merman silently scolded himself for not noticing these things earlier, him believing that a child should always come before his own problems. While thinking of what could be ailing the boy, Squall placed his hand over the smaller one on his stomach. Stormy eyes opened in surprise at the coldness of the hand, a type of coldness the merman recognized well.

Quickly pulling away the boy's hand and forcing him to sit up, Squall looked directly into startled hazel eyes. "Don't do that, _yeun_. You're too young to handle healing magic."

Adryan pouted. "But you're hurting..."

"It's far worse for you to drain your energy like this. _Enutpen_ , you could have died."

"But I don't like you hurting. Laek doesn't either."

Momentarily stunned at hearing Adryan speak the name, Squall then lightly kissed his forehead. "This pain I can forget, but your loss would be too much for your father and me to bear."

The boy sniffed, him close to tears. "I'm sorry, _berenas_. I just want the hurt to go away."

Quietly shushing Adryan, the merman pulled him as close as possible considering the awkward angle. Hugging the boy, Squall took the chance to look up at Seifer and wasn't surprised by the questioning glare aimed in his direction. The blond never did like being the last to know things, especially when it came to his son.

After a time of quiet sniffles, Adryan gradually grew limp in the brunet's hold. Not speaking until that moment, Squall carefully straightened such that he could better look into sharp green eyes.

"He had been numbing the pain for me," he explained.

Seifer scoffed and glanced down at his son. "I guessed that, but... Shit, I'm not prepared for this. He's just a little boy. _My_ little boy. Where in the world did he get these powers that could potentially kill him?"

Squall shrugged. "There is a frightening power within you as well, but you don't have the ability to use it. Your son does."

"Is that so?" While taking the boy's blanket and covering the small body, the blond then said, "Actually, if we can believe this guy's dreams, it sounds like both of them should have that same ability. Adryan... and Laek, was it?"

Hesitantly, the merman nodded. "It's my first choice of names I've considered. But we don't--"

"It's fitting. Something to remind the kid about who he is."

Squall didn't bother to correct the man, figuring that he would eventually discover that the name meant 'link' in his language and not the 'lake' it sounded like. But for the moment, the merman wanted to be selfish with that knowledge, that their son would be the true bond between them and not the band of dark skin on their wrists.

After a time of thought, Seifer said, "I think it's time for Dray to spend some time with Selphie."

"It would be best," the brunet replied in a quiet voice.

"He'll go kicking and screaming, you realize. For a little guy, he's rather protective of you."

"He takes after his father."

Seifer grinned. "Well, somebody has to look after you, and I certainly don't mind the help."

Fingering the worn blanket, Squall stared down at the small boy and said nothing of his thoughts. Even so, he wasn't overly surprised when Seifer spoke in response to the silent statement that was foremost in his mind.

"He'll miss you, too, love."

* * *

Seifer despised feeling helpless, and yet it seemed a common occurrence in his relatively short life. At first, he couldn't have the person he wanted, the merman trapped in his world of water. Years later there was Fujin's difficult labor which bore Adryan, soon followed by the desertion of the white-haired mother. More recently was the deadly sickness which took a firm hold of his son, that ultimately leading to the situation with Squall. Finally there was the merman's cursed pregnancy, which had greatly worn on the blond's nerves throughout the final months. And days before the inevitable labor, Seifer was certain that the event would destroy him.

Waking to a light shake of his shoulder, the large man stared dazedly up into blue-gray highlighted by the light of the moon.

" _Maie anleh,_ I need help to the cavern."

To his sleep muddled mind, the request was an odd one, but Seifer had grown accustomed to granting any demand of the merman. Such orders spoken in an emotionless voice were few, which implied that the demand had a purpose beyond the typical hormone enriched whines and complaints.

It wasn't until Seifer was mostly dressed that he realized the possible reason for the merman to wake him. "It can't be time."

"Tell that to your son," Squall grumbled as he stepped to the doorway, the blond soon following him once he grabbed a duffle bag with random necessities.

As they walked to the cavern, the large man couldn't help but to feel confused about the situation. Fujin hadn't held back in the least during her labor, Seifer suffering two broken fingers for the cause. But now he was guiding a very pregnant man, who of all the things was smiling softly despite the widely spread contractions racking his body. And if Seifer dared to offer more help than the man wanted over the moonlit ground, Squall would stop in place to the blond's great annoyance and remind him in a mix of two languages that he wasn't completely helpless.

When they finally reached the cavern lit by the magical orbs, Seifer left the merman to his own devises while he himself ran to the pool's edge and released an oddly colored fish to alert Squall's parents. After watching that small fish dart to the underwater opening, Seifer turned and paused at the sight of his bonded removing his large shirt and tossing it on top of the already discarded pants. The blond couldn't help but to feel a touch of sadness that he would never see the sight again, the rounded stomach such an amazing proof of life. But he still wasn't certain if the cost of pain was worth that single life, and to imagine that Squall was expected to go through several pregnancies within his lifetime made Seifer both angry and ill.

With ever-knowing eyes, Squall gazed at his bonded for a brief moment before he stepped closer to the pool. "Sit behind me," was his only order and final words until his parents appeared to find the bonded pair sitting as deep as they could in the cold water.

Chale was the first to speak, immediately approaching Squall and resting a hand on the bare stomach. " _Yeun_ , how far are you?"

The brunet shook his head. " _Ea_... _Ea connaut_..."

The large merman shushed him gently, and then lifted lean legs onto his shoulders. "Hold him steady," was his only warning to Seifer before he did something to make Squall tense and sigh out in a familiar manner.

Green eyes wide, the man asked, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Checking the birth canal, which has opened most of the way." Deep blue eyes glared with offense at the blond. "What else would I be doing to my son?"

Swallowing, Seifer looked away from the piercing eyes. "I didn't... it's just..."

With a quiet laugh, Laguna moved to sit next to the human. "Be hurt not. All be crazy when it be for intended." Looking to the large merman, he added, "Or for our _yeun_."

" _Berenas_...?"

The longhaired merman grasped onto his son's hand and lightly kissed it. " _Aie, yeun. Ea heren_."

Squall relaxed some at the declaration and rested his head back against the broad chest of his bonded. " _Maie anleh, dhenaut laefen ea._ "

Smiling and then kissing dark hair, Seifer replied the first phrase he had learned of the odd language. " _Ea nehaephre laefen ouve._ "

The words were still echoing in the cavern when Squall gasped out in pain, and Seifer was surprised to feel a wave of pressure within his own stomach. Chuckling lightly in resigned understanding, the blond squeezed the man in his hold a little tighter and tried to prepare himself for the coming labor. Given Squall's pain throughout the past week of Adryan's absence, Seifer was somewhat accustomed to the echoes of pain through their bond, but feeling the labor would be something completely different.

Closing his eyes, Seifer tried to force a sense of calm and protection through their link, hoping to distract Squall from some of the pain. Focused like that, he barely connected with the rest of world, Chale's instructions merging with Laguna's consoling words to form a meaningless murmur. But due to the physical sensations within his body, he recognized the progression of the birth. He was silently impressed with the strength Squall was showing, nothing louder than a quiet cry leaving his lips.

Green eyes snapped open when Seifer felt the odd sensation of stretching with the final stage. He was entrapped watching the dark water, his breath held as he hoped Chale was correct in his decision for the water birth in case the newborn was more merman than human. For the first time, Seifer felt afraid at the realization that he may not be able to raise his son if the child couldn't safely leave the water until he was older.

His darker thoughts were interrupted when there was a flush of redness in the water, soon followed by a small dark object held in large hands. Seifer tried to look closer at the newborn, but he was distracted by the body going frighteningly limp in his hold. Glancing down at Squall, the blond smiled softly at the sweaty face relaxed in a well-earned sleep. After brushing aside damp hair and kissing the bared forehead, Seifer looked over at Chale.

The large merman had a rare smile on his face as he pulled the babe from the colored water. Almost instantly the child began to cry out in protest, arms and legs waving around helplessly.

"Hyne..." Seifer whispered, unable to believe he truly had another son.

Chale nodded in agreement to the amazed tone, and then looked up to meet green eyes. "After Laguna heals him, help my child out of the water while I examine this little one. Then you may have your son."

* * *

Squall didn't open his eyes when he first woke, him not wanting to be awake, but something kept yelling and refused to let him sleep properly. Shifting, he wondered at the hard ground beneath him, but he couldn't understand why Seifer would leave him to sleep anywhere except their bed. Awareness came sharply when he identified the noise as the cries of a child echoing within the stone cavern. The cries of _his_ child.

Clutching the warm blanket tight around his chilled body, Squall sat up without effort, the oddity of that fact easily explained by the faint taste of blood in his mouth. He tried to frown with disappointment at his parents for their step further into crime, but the expression was impossible once he saw the unhappy babe struggling in the larger merman's arms.

Seifer turned from watching the grandfather and child, and his smile widened at seeing the brunet. "Well, lookie at who decided to join us. About freaking time."

With experienced care, he took the small bundle of child and blanket from Chale's hold. Almost instantly, the babe quieted and barely moved while he was held close to his sire's chest. With a ridiculously proud smile, Seifer kissed the dark-haired child as he stepped out from the shifting water. Once seated next to the merman, he gave Squall the warm bundle.

With part fear and simple amazement, Squall ran his fingers across the redden face and gently brushed away the moist trail of tears. The boy grumbled a complaint and waved a small hand in annoyance. For long minutes, Squall sat there and gazed at his son while his bonded did the same with his arm wrapped around the merman's back. But eventually, Squall was able to ask the question he wished he could avoid.

"Is he healthy?"

Seifer grinned. "Everything went fine. We'll have to wait until he's older to see how much he got from your side, but Laek appears human at this stage."

Releasing his held breath, Squall leaned back against his bonded. "This was worth it."

The blond tightened his hold. "Wait until you have to change your first diaper."

Though the sarcastic tone was clear, Squall could also hear the undertones of uncertainty. Even so, he decided against trying to alleviate the man's worry about him leaving just as his first love had. It would have been a worthless statement to the blond who trusted actions above words, and the merman had no desire to defend himself. He wouldn't leave his bonded and child, and it was as simple as that.

Interrupting the silence, Laguna cleared his throat. "Time to go before noticed. But say bye to _leis-yeun_?"

"Such greedy grandparents," Seifer muttered with an amused smile. "Wouldn't even let me hold the little guy for too long."

Squall only shook his head while allowing the blond to steal the child from his arms. Leaning back against stone, he watched as his bearer held his child tightly, the longhaired merman looking about ready to take the newborn with him before he reluctantly handed the boy to his bonded. Despite his larger frame, Chale handled the babe with a far gentler hold and spoke a quiet chant that was supposed to ward away evil.

Returning Laek to his father, the large merman said, "We'll return on our normal night for a checkup. But I should warn you that eventually one or more of the elders will desire to examine this child themselves."

Seifer frowned at the warning, but nodded his understanding. "As long as Laek stays with us, they can look all they want. But if they try to steal him away--"

"I won't allow that," Chale said in a flat voice, his loyalty to his son and grandson clear in the implied meaning.

Seifer smirked in reply. "Then we're agreed."

After a prolonged goodbye from Laguna, including several tips to Squall about how to handle the days following birth, the pair finally let into the darkness of water and headed home. With the two mermen gone, the cavern was overly silent for a time until Laek decided he didn't care for the lack of noise.

Seifer grinned down at his son before glancing up at his bonded. "Ready to go home?"

"Home..." Smiling softly, Squall nodded. "That would be nice."

* * *

[Epilogue]

Sitting on the edge of his son's bed, Squall sang softly to the two children who had been reluctant to go to sleep after a long, exciting day spent at the ocean with Selphie's family. As typical, Adyran quickly fell asleep to the song, but Laek was always difficult to coax to sleep. Instead, his aqua eyes were wide as he listened to the tale about an epic hero and his devoted bonded.

Sighing, Squall bent over and kissed the young boy's forehead. " _Yeun_ , you need to sleep."

Laek pouted. "But I wanna hear about the guys with black tails."

"You've heard it before."

"But I wanna hear it _again_. Please, _berenas_?"

Before Squall could reply, a deep voice sounded from the open doorway. "Nice try, kiddo. Now get to sleep."

"But _Saer_ \--"

"No more buts. You can hear it another time. Anyway, your mother is _mine_ tonight."

Laek grabbed his bearer's hand at the statement, his eyes shining with a child's desire to protect his loved ones.

Squall shook his head. "I'll tell you more in the morning if you still want to hear the story."

Though the pout didn't disappear, the dark-haired boy nodded and reluctantly released his hold on the merman. Lying back fully against his pillow, Laek closed his eyes in an attempt to sleep.

With quiet steps, Squall approached his bonded and shooed the man out of his way. Instead, Seifer grabbed the waving hand and sharply pulled the smaller man tight against him, just barely allowing the merman to gently close the door behind them. Trapped within the blond's hold, Squall had little choice but to let Seifer to led them away to the living room with its lit fireplace. Once seated on the worn couch, the brunet was surprised when the man only leaned against him as a calloused thumb lightly caressed the dark band on the thin wrist.

"So, are you going to sing me to sleep tonight?"

"I didn't realize you needed the help."

"While I need all the help that I can get, it's not for that reason. I just love your voice."

Squall leaned over to look at the green eyes highlighted with yellow from the flames. "Is that so?"

"Hn, didn't I tell you? I first fell in love with you when I heard your voice. I remember it being dark out, and you weren't expecting me to be around for some reason... Heh, no offense, but you've gotten better since you were a little minnow. A lot better."

The merman frowned at the fish reference, but said nothing in reply to the man's attempt to coax out a reaction.

"But mostly, in your songs you tell me things that you can't spell out otherwise." Seifer lifted the hand he had been stroking and kissed the dark skin. "For instance, about how much you adore and worship me."

After a soft smile at the obvious plea for attention, Squall closed his eyes and allowed a song to take over his body and voice. It was a short song which described their children, about their importance in the merman's life. And it ended with the strong note that none of it would have been possible without Seifer, the man Squall believed to be his true intended in life, and not one decided upon by a group of old walruses.

Reopening his eyes, the merman briefly stared into heated green before Seifer was kissing heavily at his neck and the area of chest exposed from his shirt. As one large hand stroked at the branded neck and the ever-present choker, the other hand drifted to places that made it hard for Squall to stay quiet. Though the merman had to remind himself that he wasn't exactly complaining at the attention, and he then stretched out to give the man better access to the trickier spots to reach.

Thus it was somewhat annoying when some time later a familiar echo of fear coursed through his body. While he had no desire to leaver, Squall always placed his children before his own wants. It took some effort to slip away from Seifer, but the man was half-hearted in his attempt to make the brunet stay in place. Used to the nightly interruptions, he knew that it was a bad idea to keep Squall away from either boy.

After putting back on his pants which had found their way into the hallway, Squall walked quietly to the closed doorway and slowly opened the door. Blue-gray eyes widened vaguely before his lips formed a soft smile at the sight before him. Laek had moved to join his brother in the small bed, and Adryan was holding onto the boy tightly, as if the youth could somehow protect him from harm. Given the boy's fear of his nightmare had already dissipated, Squall figured the dark-haired boy was already filling the role of protector.

Seifer was suddenly at his back, leaning forward to look into the room. "Well, don't they look cozy. Is everything okay?"

The merman nodded, once again closing the door shut.

"A sorcerer and his guardian... I wonder what they are destined to do."

Squall shrugged. "Maybe nothing. Maybe more."

The blond scoffed. "Do you have no imagination? Hyne, they could save the world or something amazing--"

Placing fingers over the pale lips, the merman said, "Whatever may come, will come. But for now, let them be children."

Though the green eyes showed some disappointment, Seifer nodded once with understanding. He then grabbed the raised hand and pulled Squall closer to whisper softly into his ear. "Thank you for staying."

"This is my life. How could I leave it?"

With a somber gaze, Seifer stared down at the brunet before he leaned in for a gentle kiss, the bared emotions of the man easily overwhelming Squall through the simple touch. Relying on the encircling arms to keep him upright, he let his awareness sink into that pool of fear, uncertainly, hope, and love. When the touch of lips left him, Squall couldn't bring himself to open closed eyes as Seifer spoke quietly.

"I think I'll need help getting to sleep tonight."

With a small smile, Squall said, "I'll see what I can do."

 

{Owari}


End file.
